More than half of CBD users are cutting back on prescription medications, according to a new study from Chicago-based marketing analytics firm High Yield Insights. Twenty percent of CBD users are also consuming alcoholic beverages less frequently.

The popularity of CBD products is increasing steadily – fourteen percent of people in the U.S. are currently using formulas that contain cannabidiol, according to a newly-released Gallup Poll. 

What are people taking CBD for?

Sixty-three percent of people who currently use cannabidiol take it for anxiety, while 44 percent consume it for depression. Thirty-nine percent of people use CBD to relieve chronic pain in joints, and 33 percent take it for insomnia.

CBD, or cannabidiol, is derived from the Cannabis sativa plant. The naturally-occurring chemical can be added to formulas like topical creams, oils, lotions and edibles. Though it comes from the same source as recreational marijuana, CBD is non-psychoactive and non-addictive – it won’t give users the “stoned,” euphoric feeling that marijuana is known for. 

“Current users overwhelmingly believe in the power of CBD. Over 80 percent of our study participants have faith in CBD’s ability to improve overall wellness, including a myriad of physical and mental health conditions,” said Mike Luce, co-founder of High Yield Insights. “This perception causes ripple effects in other categories like alcohol, as CBD is seen as a healthier alternative for occasions such as winding down in the evening. We heard consumers voice greater interest in CBD than other products like vitamins and supplements as well.”

The 2018 Farm Bill went into effect in December of last year. It legalized sales of hemp-derived consumer products, which means any part of the plant can be used in various formulas as long its THC content is 0.3 percent or less.

More studies and patient testimonials are pointing to CBD for its healing abilities. 

The naturally-occuring substance may relieve symptoms in people coping with anxiety, inflammation, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain and more. The cannabis plant has also been used for centuries to help heal a wide range of ailments, such as insomnia, ADHD, seizures and nausea.

High Yield Insights also found that CBD users were consuming less alcoholic beverages.

Twenty percent of survey respondents reported drinking less cocktails, beer and hard liquors after starting a CBD regimen for health. Wine lovers seemed especially open to reducing their intake after using CBD, with 25 percent saying they consume the fermented beverage less frequently. Fifty-six percent of beer drinkers also reported less consumption of the malt beverage.

More American adults are expressing a willingness to try CBD to treat conditions like depression, insomnia, anxiety, inflammation or arthritis. Forty percent of U.S. adults age 21 and over said they’d be open to using cannabidiol under the right circumstances.