The origin of the word ‘marijuana'
‘Marijuana' (originally ‘marihuana') entered American English in the early 1900s from Mexican Spanish. US drug regulators in the 1930s adopted the word specifically because it sounded foreign — part of a public campaign to associate cannabis with immigrant communities and push prohibition. Today many advocates prefer ‘cannabis' as the neutral scientific term, but ‘marijuana' remains the legal terminology in state and federal statutes.
Marijuana vs cannabis vs hemp
All three refer to the same plant species, Cannabis sativa. The legal difference is THC content: hemp is defined federally as cannabis with ≤0.3% THC and is non-intoxicating; marijuana is cannabis with more than 0.3% THC and is psychoactive. ‘Cannabis' is the umbrella term scientists and clinicians use for both.
How marijuana works in your body
THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the main active compound, binds to CB1 receptors in the brain and produces euphoria, relaxation, appetite stimulation, and altered perception of time. CBD, THC's non-intoxicating cousin, doesn't get you high but modulates THC's edge and adds subtle relaxation. Terpenes — the aromatic compounds that make each strain smell distinct — shape the character of the high.
Marijuana in New York (2026 status)
Adult-use marijuana has been legal for New Yorkers 21+ since the MRTA passed in 2021. Licensed dispensaries have been open since late 2022, and delivery and on-site consumption licenses are now active. Public possession is limited to 3 ounces of flower or 24 grams of concentrate. Illicit-market storefronts still exist and are the target of ongoing enforcement.
Buying licensed marijuana in NY
At Good Grades — a licensed New York adult-use dispensary in Queens — every gram on the menu is lab-tested through the state's Office of Cannabis Management compliance chain, tagged from cultivator to shelf, and delivered same-day across Queens, Nassau County, and much of the NYC metro. 21+ with valid ID at delivery. Browse the live menu to compare THC content, terpene profile, and grow method before you order.