medical marijuana

noun

variants or less commonly medical cannabis

: marijuana that is available only by prescription and is used to treat a variety of medical conditions (such as pain, anxiety, nausea, and glaucoma)

In the 14 states that allow medical marijuana, middle-aged baby boomers talk quite freely about filling their prescriptions at the local dispensary (of which there are nearly 1,400 in California alone).

—Eve Conant

also : any of various substances (such as cannabidiol) extracted from marijuana and used similarly

Examples of medical marijuana in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Texas has limited access to medical marijuana that’s been incrementally expanded over the past several legislative sessions. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Nov. 2026

The move comes months after a push to put medical marijuana legalization to voters failed to garner enough signatures to gain inclusion on Tuesday’s ballot. — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 3 Nov. 2026

Furthermore, many states have merged their recreational and medical marijuana industries. — Gene Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026

The order did not cover every category of marijuana but represented a significant shift in the federal treatment of medical marijuana. — Carolyn Schenck, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1976, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for medical marijuana

• ana
• bwana
• dhyana
• donna
• fauna
• gonna
• jnana
• mana
• sauna
• tswana
• wanna
• asana

Medical Definition

medical marijuana

noun

variants also medical cannabis

: marijuana that is available only by prescription and is used to treat a variety of medical conditions (as pain, anxiety, nausea, and glaucoma)

also : any of various substances (as cannabidiol) extracted from marijuana and used similarly