I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3043 
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to enter into a 
10-year arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct 
and update biennially a study on the effects of State legalized marijuana 
programs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 7, 2021 
Ms. GARCIA of Texas (for herself and Mr. YOUNG) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and 
in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Education and 
Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to 
enter into a 10-year arrangement with the National 
Academy of Sciences to conduct and update biennially 
a study on the effects of State legalized marijuana pro-
grams, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Marijuana Data Col-
lection Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:38 Jun 10, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3043.IH
H3043
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Nearly two-thirds of Americans—about 68 
percent—favor marijuana legalization. 
(2) A total of 33 States, the District of Colum-
bia, Puerto Rico, and Guam have legalized mari-
juana for medicinal use, and of those, 10 States and 
the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana 
for adult non-medicinal use. 
(3) Despite State legalization, marijuana re-
mains illegal under Federal law, listed in schedule I 
under the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 801 
et seq.). 
(4) Every day, more Americans die from over-
dosing on opioids. In 2016, the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention estimated that more than 
42,000 Americans died from opioid-related drug 
overdoses. President Trump has, on 2 separate occa-
sions, declared the opioid crisis as a public health 
emergency. 
(5) Studies suggest that increased access to 
marijuana is associated with reductions in opioid 
abuse and opioid-related deaths, among other eco-
nomic and social benefits: 
(A) A study published in the Journal of 
the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:38 Jun 10, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3043.IH
H3043
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
2014 that compared mortality rates between 
States that legalized medical marijuana versus 
States that have not legalized medical mari-
juana found that States that had legalized med-
ical marijuana had, on average, 20 percent 
fewer opioid-related overdose deaths in the first 
year of legalization compared to States that had 
not legalized marijuana. This difference wid-
ened in subsequent years after legalization. 
(B) A study published in the American 
Journal of Public Health in 2017 found that 
opioid-related deaths tended to decline after the 
legalization of non-medicinal marijuana for 
adults in the State of Colorado. This study esti-
mated a 6.5-percent reduction in opioid-related 
deaths compared to pre-legalization. 
(6) Due to marijuana legalization, States have 
generated millions in taxes and revenue and have al-
located these funds into public health, education, 
economic development, restorative justice, and job 
creation, such as— 
(A) substance use disorder treatment and 
drug use prevention programs; 
(B) school construction; 
(C) behavioral health programs; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:38 Jun 10, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3043.IH
H3043
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(D) State alcohol and drug treatments 
funds; 
(E) basic health plans; 
(F) community residential centers; 
(G) youth drug use prevention; 
(H) jail diversion; 
(I) mental health treatment; and 
(J) job creation and placement. 
(7) A robust and properly regulated marijuana 
industry wherein States are allowed to operate mari-
juana programs free from Federal interference 
stands to benefit States’ public health, education, 
economic, and law enforcement and judicial sectors. 
SEC. 3. REPORT CONCERNING THE EFFECTS OF STATE LE-
GALIZED MARIJUANA PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services, in coordination with the Attorney Gen-
eral, the Secretary of Labor, and (to the greatest extent 
possible) with relevant State agencies responsible for 
health programs and activities in States that have legal-
ized marijuana for medicinal or non-medicinal use, shall 
enter into a 10-year arrangement with the National Acad-
emy of Sciences— 
(1) to complete a study, not later than 18 
months after the date of enactment of this Act, and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:38 Jun 10, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3043.IH
H3043
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
to update such study on a biennial basis thereafter 
for the duration of the arrangement period, on the 
effects of State legalized marijuana programs on the 
economy, public health, criminal justice, and employ-
ment in the respective States; 
(2) upon the completion of the initial study pur-
suant to paragraph (1) and upon each update to the 
study, to prepare or update a report on the results 
of such study and submit such report to Congress; 
and 
(3) not later than 30 days after the date of sub-
mission of the initial report under paragraph (2), 
develop and publish best practices on data collection 
under subsection (e). 
(b) STUDY CONSIDERATIONS.—The study pursuant 
to subsection (a)(1) shall consider the effects of State le-
galized marijuana programs, including yearly rates and 
trends over the course of the study under such subsection, 
with respect to the following: 
(1) REVENUES AND STATE ALLOCATIONS.— 
(A) The monetary amounts generated 
through revenues, taxes, and any other financial 
benefits. 
(B) The purposes and relative amounts for 
which such funds were used. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:38 Jun 10, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3043.IH
H3043
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(C) The total impact on the State and its 
budget. 
(2) MEDICINAL USE OF MARIJUANA.— 
(A) The rates of medicinal use of mari-
juana among different population groups, in-
cluding children, the elderly, veterans, and indi-
viduals with disabilities. 
(B) The purpose of such use. 
(C) Which medical conditions medical 
marijuana is most frequently purchased and 
used for. 
(3) SUBSTANCE USE.— 
(A) The rates of overdoses with opioids 
and other painkillers. 
(B) The rates of admission in health care 
facilities, emergency rooms, and volunteer treat-
ment facilities related to overdoses with opioids 
and other painkillers. 
(C) The rates of opioid-related and other 
painkiller-related crimes to one’s self and to the 
community. 
(D) The rates of opioid prescriptions and 
other pain killers. 
(4) IMPACTS ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:38 Jun 10, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3043.IH
H3043
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(A) The rates of marijuana-related arrests 
for possession, cultivation, and distribution, and 
of these arrests, the percentages that involved a 
secondary charge unrelated to marijuana pos-
session, cultivation, or distribution, including— 
(i) the rates of such arrests on the 
Federal level, including the number of 
Federal 
prisoners 
so 
arrested, 
disaggregated by sex, age, race, and eth-
nicity of the prisoners; and 
(ii) the rates of such arrests on the 
State level, including the number of State 
prisoners so arrested, disaggregated by 
sex, age, race, and ethnicity. 
(B) The rates of arrests and citations on 
the Federal and State levels related to teenage 
use of marijuana. 
(C) The rates of arrests on the Federal 
and State levels for unlawful driving under the 
influence of a substance, and the rates of such 
arrests involving marijuana. 
(D) The rates of marijuana-related pros-
ecutions, court filings, and imprisonments. 
(E) The total monetary amounts expended 
for marijuana-related enforcement, arrests, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:38 Jun 10, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3043.IH
H3043
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
court filings and proceedings, and imprisonment 
before and after legalization, including Federal 
expenditures disaggregated according to wheth-
er the laws being enforced were Federal or 
State. 
(F) The total number and rate of defend-
ants in Federal criminal prosecutions asserting 
as a defense that their conduct was in compli-
ance with applicable State law legalizing mari-
juana usage, and the effects of such assertions. 
(5) EMPLOYMENT.— 
(A) The amount of jobs created in each 
State, differentiating between direct and indi-
rect employment. 
(B) The amount of jobs expected to be cre-
ated in the next 5 years, and in the next 10 
years, as a result of the State’s marijuana in-
dustry. 
(c) STUDY TIMEFRAME.—The study pursuant to sub-
section (a)(1) shall consider the data collected and ana-
lyzed in connection with the items listed in subsection (b) 
in the respective States to the extent possible across the 
period— 
(1) beginning 5 years before the effective date 
of legalization of marijuana in the State; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:38 Jun 10, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3043.IH
H3043
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(2) ending on a date determined by the Na-
tional Academy of Sciences to allow collection and 
analysis of the most recent data available. 
(d) REPORT CONTENTS.—Reports pursuant to sub-
section (a)(2) shall— 
(1) address both State programs that have le-
galized marijuana for medicinal use and those that 
have legalized marijuana for adult non-medicinal use 
and to the extent practicable distinguish between 
such programs and their effects; 
(2) include a national assessment of average 
trends across States with such programs in relation 
to the effects on economy, public health, criminal 
justice, and employment in the respective States, in-
cluding with respect to the items listed in subsection 
(b); and 
(3) describe— 
(A) any barriers that impeded the ability 
to complete or update aspects of the study re-
quired by subsection (a)(1) and how such bar-
riers can be overcome for purposes of future 
studies; and 
(B) any gaps in the data sought for the 
study required by subsection (a)(1) and how 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:38 Jun 10, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3043.IH
H3043
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
these gaps can be eliminated or otherwise ad-
dressed for purposes of future studies. 
(e) BEST PRACTICES FOR DATA COLLECTION BY 
STATES.—The best practices pursuant to subsection 
(a)(3) shall consist of best practices for the collection by 
States of the information described in the items listed in 
subsection (b), including such best practices for improv-
ing— 
(1) data collection; 
(2) analytical capacity; 
(3) research integrity; and 
(4) the comparability of data across States. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:38 Jun 10, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H3043.IH
H3043
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS