One in seven Americans use cannabidiol or CBD-based products as more products hit the market following the passage of the 2018 Farm Act, according to a survey by Gallup.

Cannabidiol or CBD is a naturally-occurring cannabinoid constituent of cannabis. It is a chemical in the marijuana plant often used for medicinal purposes.

CBD products do not have any psychoactive effects as they contain a low level of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the compound in marijuana that causes a high. After the farm bill was passed by Congress in late 2018, CBD derived from hemp is now legal in the U.S.

The Gallup Survey results are based on telephone interviews with more than 2,500 adults from June 19 to July 12.

The survey found that 14 percent of the U.S. adult population are using CBD products, primarily for medical and therapeutic benefits. However, 50 percent of the population do not use them, while 35 percent are not all familiar with the products.

According to the study, younger Americans in the age group of 18 to 29 years and those in the Western U.S. are most likely to report using the CBD products, which are widely touted for their therapeutic benefits.

20 percent of adults in the age group of 18 to 29 years said they use CBD products, while the percentage of use progressively declined to 16 percent in the age group of 30 to 49 years. It further declined to 11 percent in the 50 to 64 years age group. The study found that older Americans are less familiar with the CBD products.

Regionally, the study found that 21 percent of the people in the Western U.S. use CBD products, compared with 13 percent in the South, and 11 percent in both the East and Midwest.

The study attributed the higher marijuana use in the Western U.S. to legalization in many Western states. As a result, CBD products have been available for a longer time to residents of these states.

The vast majority of the respondents said they use CBD to treat pain, anxiety and sleeplessness, the study found. 40 percent of the CBD users said they use the products for pain relief, while 20 percent use it to treat anxiety, and 11 percent use it for insomnia.

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