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“marijuana” vs. “cannabis”:
The word marijuana is — as they say — problematic. It was infamously used as a pejorative in the 1930s when US politician Harry J. Anslinger borrowed the Spanish word marihuana for his prohibition campaign, effectively associating the plant with anti-Mexican prejudice. (See AP’s recently updated entry here.) And yet, the word marijuana is still on the law books elsewhere across the country — and it dominates colloquial use. So should we swap in cannabis — a word rooted in Greek and Latin — for every mention of marijuana? It can be preferable, especially in articles about cannabis science or about cannabis aficionados. Cannabis is especially popular among scientists and uber-stoners, but for lots of Americans, it's arcane. Saying "I smoked cannabis" is like saying "I took my canine for a walk." Normal folks don't talk like that; normal folks say pot and weed.
The word marijuana — despite its troubles — can also be the most accurate term in legal settings, like reporting on marijuana prosecutions or changing marijuana laws (consider Sen. Cory Booker’s Marijuana Justice Act). Pot and weed are serviceable, but they might be too informal for hard news stories. (Plus, headlines like “23 Jokes About Smoking Weed That Will Probably Make You Laugh Out Loud” just wouldn’t be the same with the clunky word cannabis.) No single synonym is perfect.
