Marijuana vs Cannabis vs Weed: What's the Difference?

If you have ever searched for “marijuana near me,” “is weed legal,” or “cannabis dispensary NYC,” you have probably noticed that people use these three words interchangeably. But are marijuana, cannabis, and weed actually the same thing? The short answer is yes — they all refer to the same plant. The longer answer involves history, politics, science, and a surprising amount of cultural baggage. This guide breaks it all down so you know exactly what you are talking about the next time you walk into Quality Control Dispensary.

What Is Marijuana?

Marijuana is the most commonly searched term for the cannabis plant in the United States. When most Americans say marijuana, they mean the dried flowers, leaves, stems, and seeds of the Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica plant. Marijuana contains THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive compound that produces the “high” associated with recreational use. The word marijuana has been part of the American vocabulary for over a century, and it remains the term that most people type into Google when they are looking for information about the plant.

Marijuana is also the word you will find in most federal and state legislation. The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 uses the spelling “marihuana,” and New York’s own landmark legalization law is officially called the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA). So even as the industry moves toward the word cannabis, marijuana is still the legal term on the books in many jurisdictions. If you search for “marijuana dispensary Brooklyn” or “buy marijuana in NYC,” you are looking for exactly what we sell at QCD — legal, lab-tested, adult-use marijuana products.

The word marijuana carries some complicated history, though. In the early 1900s, marijuana was not the standard English word for the plant. Americans who knew about it at all tended to call it cannabis or hemp. The term marijuana (sometimes spelled “marihuana”) entered mainstream American English from Mexican Spanish, brought by immigrants crossing the southern border in the early twentieth century. Anti-marijuana crusaders like Harry Anslinger, the first commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, deliberately used the foreign-sounding word marijuana to associate the plant with Mexican and Black communities. Marijuana prohibition in the United States was fueled in part by racism and xenophobia, and the word marijuana was a tool in that campaign.

That is why some people today prefer to avoid the word marijuana altogether. They argue that using marijuana perpetuates the stigma of prohibition-era politics. Others point out that marijuana is simply the most widely understood term and that abandoning it would make public health information harder to find. Regardless of where you stand, understanding the history of the word marijuana gives you a fuller picture of why the terminology debate exists at all.

What Is Cannabis?

Cannabis is the scientific name for the plant genus. When botanists, researchers, and doctors talk about the plant, they say cannabis. The genus Cannabis includes several species — most notably Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica — and covers both marijuana (high-THC varieties) and hemp (low-THC varieties). Cannabis is the most precise and neutral term available. It does not carry the political baggage of marijuana or the informality of weed.

The cannabis industry has largely adopted this word as its standard. Walk into any licensed dispensary in New York, California, Colorado, or any other legal state, and you will see the word cannabis on menus, packaging, and signage. Regulatory bodies like the New York Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) use the word cannabis in their official communications. Industry publications, trade groups, and advocacy organizations overwhelmingly prefer cannabis over marijuana.

From a practical standpoint, cannabis is also the most inclusive term. It encompasses the entire plant — flower, concentrates, edibles, tinctures, topicals, and everything else derived from the plant. When we say cannabis at QCD, we are talking about the full range of products on our shelves, from pre-rolls to gummies to vape cartridges. If you are new to all of this, our Cannabis 101 guide covers everything a beginner needs to know.

What About Weed?

Weed is the most popular informal term for marijuana and cannabis. It has been slang for the plant since at least the 1920s, and today it is probably the word that most people use in everyday conversation. You might say “I want to buy some weed,” “where can I get weed in Brooklyn,” or “is weed legal in New York?” Everyone knows what you mean.

Unlike marijuana, the word weed does not carry significant racial or political baggage. It is casual, widely understood, and used across every demographic. Weed is what you call it when you are texting your friends, not when you are writing a legal brief. Some dispensaries lean into the informality — our own site describes QCD as setting the standard for “legal weed in New York City.”

Other slang terms for marijuana and cannabis include pot, bud, herb, ganja, Mary Jane, reefer, dope, grass, and dozens more. Weed is by far the most common of these, and it has essentially graduated from slang to standard informal English. You will hear budtenders use the word weed, you will see it on dispensary websites, and you will read it in mainstream news coverage. There is nothing wrong with calling it weed.

A Quick History of Marijuana Terminology

The word marijuana has roots in Mexican Spanish, where it may have referred to the plant as early as the 1800s. Some linguists trace the word to the Nahuatl language, while others connect it to a Chinese expression for “hemp seed flower.” The exact origin is debated, but what is clear is that marijuana became the dominant English-language term in the United States during the prohibition era of the 1930s.

Harry Anslinger and the Federal Bureau of Narcotics popularized the word marijuana in propaganda campaigns designed to frighten white Americans. By associating the plant with its Spanish name — and by extension, with Mexican immigrants and jazz musicians — Anslinger built public support for marijuana prohibition. The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 effectively banned marijuana nationwide, and the word stuck.

Cannabis, by contrast, had been the standard term in American and European pharmacopeias since the 1800s. Doctors prescribed cannabis tinctures and extracts for pain, nausea, and other conditions throughout the nineteenth century. It was only when marijuana prohibition took hold that cannabis fell out of common usage and marijuana became the default word.

Today the pendulum is swinging back. As marijuana legalization spreads across the country, the industry and its regulators are returning to the word cannabis. But marijuana remains the word that most Americans search for online, which is why you will find both terms used throughout our site and at dispensaries everywhere.

Why Dispensaries Use “Cannabis”

If marijuana, cannabis, and weed all mean the same thing, why do most dispensaries default to cannabis? There are several reasons:

• Regulatory language. State licensing bodies and compliance frameworks use the word cannabis. Dispensary menus, lab reports, and packaging follow suit.
• Professionalism. Cannabis sounds clinical and precise, which helps dispensaries present themselves as legitimate, regulated businesses — not the head shops or black-market operations of the past.
• Inclusivity. Cannabis covers everything from marijuana flower to hemp-derived CBD to concentrates. It is the broadest, most accurate term.
• Distancing from stigma. Given the racist history of marijuana prohibition, many in the industry prefer cannabis as a more neutral alternative.

At Quality Control Dispensary, we use all three words. Our product menus say cannabis. Our delivery page talks about weed delivery. And this very article is packed with the word marijuana so that people searching for marijuana-related information can find us. Language is a tool, and we use whichever word serves our customers best in a given context.

What New York State Law Calls It

New York’s adult-use legalization law is called the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo in March 2021. The law uses the word “marijuana” in its title but “cannabis” throughout much of its regulatory language. The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), the state agency that oversees the legal marijuana market, uses cannabis as its primary term. New York cannabis law permits adults 21 and older to purchase marijuana from licensed retailers, possess up to three ounces of flower, and consume weed in most places where tobacco smoking is allowed.

In short, the state uses both marijuana and cannabis, sometimes in the same document. The law does not use the word weed in any official capacity, but it certainly does not penalize you for using it.

Why It Does Not Matter What You Call It at QCD

Here is the bottom line: whether you call it marijuana, cannabis, or weed, our budtenders know exactly what you are talking about. You can walk into QCD Brooklyn and ask for “your best marijuana flower,” or you can ask for “a good weed edible for beginners,” or you can say “I want to try cannabis for the first time.” Same plant, same products, same expert guidance.

We are not here to police your vocabulary. We are here to help you find the right product — whether that is a high-THC marijuana pre-roll, a balanced cannabis tincture, or a low-dose weed gummy. If you are new, our Cannabis 101 guide will get you up to speed. If you have questions about what is legal, our New York marijuana laws page has the answers. And if you just want to browse the menu and see what catches your eye, you can shop Brooklyn or order delivery right now.

Marijuana, cannabis, weed — call it what you want. At Quality Control Dispensary, we call it quality.

Marijuana vs Cannabis vs Weed: Quick Comparison

Term	Type	Used By	Notes
Marijuana	Colloquial / Legal	Federal law, state laws, general public	Most searched term online; carries prohibition-era history
Cannabis	Scientific / Industry	Dispensaries, regulators, researchers	Broadest term; covers marijuana and hemp
Weed	Informal / Slang	Everyday conversation, media, dispensary marketing	Most common casual term; no significant political baggage
Hemp	Legal / Agricultural	Federal law (2018 Farm Bill), CBD industry	Cannabis with 0.3% THC or less; not psychoactive

Frequently Asked Questions

Is marijuana the same as cannabis?

Yes. Marijuana and cannabis refer to the same plant. Cannabis is the scientific and legal term for the plant genus, while marijuana is a colloquial term that became widely used in the United States during the early 20th century. Both words describe the same flowering plant that produces THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids.

Why do dispensaries say cannabis instead of marijuana?

Most licensed dispensaries use the word cannabis because it is the term used in state laws and regulations. Cannabis is also the plant’s scientific name and carries less historical stigma than the word marijuana, which was popularized during the prohibition era partly through racist propaganda campaigns.

Is weed legal in New York?

Yes. Weed is legal for adults 21 and older in New York State under the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA). You can purchase marijuana from licensed dispensaries like Quality Control Dispensary, possess up to 3 ounces of flower or 24 grams of concentrate, and consume weed in most places where tobacco smoking is allowed. Read our full New York marijuana laws guide for details.

What is the difference between marijuana and hemp?

Marijuana and hemp are both cannabis plants, but they differ in THC content. Under federal law (the 2018 Farm Bill), hemp is defined as cannabis containing 0.3% THC or less by dry weight. Marijuana refers to cannabis with more than 0.3% THC — the cannabinoid responsible for psychoactive effects. Hemp is legal federally, while marijuana remains federally prohibited but is legal in New York State for adults 21 and older.

Can I just say weed at a dispensary?

Absolutely. Budtenders at licensed dispensaries hear every term — weed, marijuana, pot, bud, flower, herb, and more. At Quality Control Dispensary in Brooklyn and Staten Island, you can call it whatever you like. Our staff will know exactly what you mean and help you find the right marijuana product for your needs.

Last updated: May 3, 2026