"We are not going after the high. What we're going for is symptom relief. Based on our research, employers are going to be saving $5,000 per participant per year."

Is it time for employers to start covering medical cannabis?

My guest this week is Emily Fisher, Founder of LeafWell. As a stage 4 breast cancer patient, Emily experienced firsthand the therapeutic benefits of cannabis when traditional opioid painkillers failed her. However, she also experienced the frustration of navigating the dispensary system without any clinical guidance or oversight.

She founded LeafWell to solve this problem by connecting patients with licensed healthcare providers via telehealth to receive personalized, clinically-guided cannabis care plans. Now, LeafWell has served over 500,000 patients and is bringing their platform directly to self-funded employers.

In this episode, we tackle the stigma and misconceptions surrounding medical cannabis in the workplace. Emily explains how LeafWell differentiates between "presence and impairment," the strict guardrails they use for safety-sensitive jobs, and why clinically-guided cannabis therapy is helping patients reduce or eliminate highly addictive opioids and expensive pharmaceuticals.

If you are an employer or a benefits consultant looking for an innovative, holistic approach to managing chronic pain and reducing pharmacy spend, this conversation will completely change how you view cannabis as an employee benefit.

Thank you to our 2026 sponsors!

ParetoHealth: ParetoHealth empowers midsize employers with a long-term solution to reduce volatility and lower overall health benefits costs. Visit https://www.paretohealth.com/fully-insured-vs-self-funding-with-paretohealth-spencer-podcast/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=SelfFundedwSpencer to learn more.

Samaritan Fund: A program that connects those who need help to the support they need. We are proud to offer the Samaritan Fund Program. Visit SamaritanFundProgram.com to learn more.

Vālenz Health: We're Vālenz Health, your partner in improving health literacy, reducing plan spend, and delivering high-value healthcare. Visit ValenzHealth.com to learn more.

Imagine360: Imagine360 helps self-funded employers save on healthcare with smarter health plans. Cut expenses by 20-30% with custom solutions. Contact us today at Imagine360.com.

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Intro: Medical Cannabis as an Employee Benefit? 

(00:04:05) Emily’s Story: Surviving Stage 4 Breast Cancer 

(00:08:25) Launching LeafWell: Increasing Access, Education, & Research 

(00:11:55) Dispensary "Bud Tenders" vs. Clinically Guided Care 

(00:15:24) Why Cannabis is a $29 Billion Healthcare Savings Opportunity 

(00:18:01) Reducing Prescription Drugs & Avoiding the ER 

(00:21:15) Addressing the Elephant in the Room: Impairment at Work 

(00:26:32) Differentiating Between Presence (Urine Tests) and Impairment 

(00:29:29) Form Factors: Tinctures, Capsules, and Avoiding Inhalables 

(00:35:47) How the Endocannabinoid System Works 

(00:42:00) The Future: Will the Government Reschedule Cannabis? 

(00:46:54) How Employers Can Roll Out a Medical Cannabis Program

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