When it comes to how Americans treat their various health conditions, more of them are now looking to medical marijuana in states where it is legal. The fear of opioid addiction, deadly overdose and other downfalls of prescription drugs has, in ways, inspired a quest for safer remedies.

However, it is women who are leading the charge, according to a recent study in the Journal of Women’s Health.

While users once kept cannabis super-secret, times have changed. More than half of the U.S. now has laws on the books allowing weed for medicinal purposes. And with all of the research in recent years reporting how medical marijuana may be a viable alternative for opioids and benzodiazepines, it appears that more of the population is taking an interest in weed.

The latest study, which polled several physicians and patients, shows that more of the population has jumped on the medical cannabis bandwagon, and not just because it has become more fashionable, either.

It appears they are taking into account the pharmaceutical fallout that has become so prevalent today. Americans are fully aware that tens of thousands of people die every year from prescription drugs, and they have no interest in becoming a statistic.

Interestingly, researchers found that women were quicker than men to replace prescription painkillers and other drugs with medical marijuana, this despite finding that males had more overall experience with cannabis.

The majority of these weed-seeking women are using cannabis for pain relief, researchers said. Studies have found that medical marijuana may be an effective remedy for mild to moderate pain conditions, as well as a a safer alternative to both over-the-counter and prescription medicines.

Anarticle in Forbes suggests that women may be using medicinal cannabis to ease chronic pain in the pelvic area, typically brought about by post-menstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder, endometriosis and some gynecological cancers.

It should come as no surprise that more women than men opt for medical marijuana as a replacement for prescription drugs. The study does, however, suggest that finding out why women are making the switch to medical cannabis may require additional studies.

“The implication that women may conceptualize medical cannabis as complementary or alternative medicine merits further research, as this finding may be viewed as a consequence of patient experience with cannabis, and not only of shifting public attitudes toward it,” study authors wrote.

There is a possibility that the upcoming Biden Administration will take action in 2021 to legalize medical marijuana nationwide — or at least reschedule it, allowing for more research to take place. Finding out more about what makes medical cannabis tick is all part of President-elect Biden’s mission.