The Cannabis and Health Data Repository brings together cannabis and health datasets that today sit in separate studies, so qualified researchers can analyze them together under one set of rules. It is a project of the Cannabis and Health Research Initiative, supported by NIH/NIDA and jointly run by Johns Hopkins University and Realm of Caring.

Why it is worth it

• Your data does more. Pooled with comparable studies, it supports replication, subgroup analysis, and cross-study comparison that a single dataset cannot.
• You keep your standing and your credit. Every contribution gets a permanent, citable accession. Researchers who use it cite you. There is no co-authorship requirement.
• Access stays controlled. Data is released only to verified researchers, only as de-identified data, and only under a signed Data Use Agreement after review. It is never made public.
• There is no cost. Contribution, harmonization, and hosting are covered by the NIH award.

What we are looking for

Human-subjects datasets about cannabis or cannabinoid use and a health outcome, where the consent permits sharing for secondary research. If you are not sure your data fits, just ask.

How it works, in four steps

1. Tell us about it. Send a short description of the dataset. We confirm it is a fit and walk you through the agreement.
2. Get set up. Your institution signs a data contribution agreement, and you provide a data dictionary for IRB clearance. We help you find the right signer so this does not stall.
3. Prepare and send. You de-identify the data (we can help), and transfer it securely. We handle harmonization to a shared data dictionary, secure storage, and documentation.
4. Review and release. You review the prepared dataset before anything goes live. Nothing becomes available to researchers until you have seen it and a governance gate is cleared.

What we need from you

A de-identified dataset, a codebook, and enough documentation for another researcher to understand it. That is most of it. The heavier lifting, harmonizing your data so it lines up with the rest of the collection, is ours.