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Public employees in three New Jersey municipalities will soon be able to access medicinal cannabis products as an alternative treatment option alongside traditional health care services.

As part of a new partnership with major insurance carriers Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, municipal workers in Trenton and school district employees in Orange and Teaneck will be able to receive financial support for medical marijuana products, according to a Nov. 19 press release.

Billed as a first-of-its-kind group health plan, the program seeks to aid employees suffering from conditions such as chronic pain, anxiety, arthritis, insomnia, PTSD and the side effects of cancer treatment, while also addressing broader mental health challenges.

The partnership also includes virtual care clinic Leafwell and Bennabis, a Cranford-based company focused on making medical cannabis more affordable and accessible. Through the plan, employees will be able to take advantage of Leafwell’s telehealth capabilities and its network of health care providers.

Part of the bigger health picture

As more states move toward legalizing recreational cannabis, the integration of cannabis into health care benefits sets a critical precedent for treating cannabis not merely as an alternative medicine but as a component of comprehensive health and wellness.

The partnering organizations believe the benefits plan can serve as a model for how cannabis can be responsibly incorporated into everyday health care, offering broad access and supporting a healthier, more balanced workforce.

They also think it can normalize cannabis use, reduce stigma and create a more inclusive environment for employees who choose cannabis for wellness, relaxation or symptom management outside of strictly medical needs.

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Leafwell CEO Emily Fisher commented, “This partnership with Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield NJ represents a significant step forward in our mission to empower communities and promote health equity.”

“By working together, we are ensuring that patients in New Jersey and beyond have access to the care they need – and that medical cannabis is recognized and utilized as a powerful tool for health and wellness,” she said.

Dr. June Chin, Leafwell’s chief medical officer, added, “Our goal is to empower individuals and communities by ensuring they have access to the highest quality healthcare options. The New Jersey Initiative is a crucial step towards creating a healthcare system that is just, equitable, and inclusive, where everyone has the opportunity to benefit from the therapeutic potential of medical cannabis.”

The program launches come more than a decade after New Jersey first began allowing the sale of medical marijuana to registered patients dealing with issues such as chronic pain, anxiety, glaucoma and Crohn’s disease.

Since the state began adult-use sales in April 2022, the number of enrollees in New Jersey’s medicinal program has declined from 128,548 to the current 68,000.

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 5 p.m. EST Nov. 21, 2024, to correct the town of West Orange to Orange.