Trenton, NJ: Public employees in three New Jersey municipalities are eligible for medical cannabis subsidies as part of a newly announced partnership between the cities and various healthcare and insurance providers.
Other benefits offered through the program include telehealth visits and consultations with physicians specializing in the use of medical cannabis. Among the groups announced as participating in the program are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Leafwell, and Bennabis Health.
Traditionally, healthcare providers have not recognized the use of medical cannabis products because it remains a Schedule I federally prohibited substance.
NORML has called upon state lawmakers to advance legislative efforts encouraging insurers to cover costs associated with the use of medical cannabis products. Writing in a nationally syndicated op-ed, NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said: “Most patients, most physicians, and most state laws view cannabis as a legitimate therapeutic option. Therefore, the millions of Americans who rely upon medical cannabis products ought to be afforded the same entitlements as those who use other conventional medications and therapies. Those privileges should include insurance-provided reimbursement for medical cannabis treatment.”
New Jersey lawmakers legalized medical cannabis access in 2010. An estimated 68,000 residents currently participate in the statewide program.
Lawmakers in 2021 enacted separate legislation regulating the adult-use marijuana market.