Pot. Weed. Mary Jane. Ganja. There are many names for the plant recently legalized in Nevada for recreational use. But not all words are created equal and some industry reps are using the term cannabis instead of marijuana because of its historical context. Let’s turn to our contributor Brook Bentley to learn more.

KUNR: So, Brook, you’ve been covering this industry for the Northern Nevada Business Weekly for some time. What have you been learning about the term cannabis versus marijuana?

Brook Bentley: Over time, the terms marijuana and cannabis have been used interchangeably, but there’s a question of whether or not they should be used interchangeably and that continues. The truth is there’s no marijuana plant. There’s a cannabis plant that results in the dried flowers and leaves that is commonly referred to as marijuana, but that’s not actually the plant. While cannabis is the more encompassing term for the industry, there are some other things to take into consideration when looking at the two words and what they mean for the industry.

I reached out to a language a grammar expert Mignon Fogarty, who is known for her Grammar Girl podcast, and here’s what she had to say about it. [Read more at KUNR Reno Public Radio]