New York-headquartered cannabis producer Tilray Brands said it will cover travel and accommodation expenses, and provide paid time off, for its United States-based employees who need to travel out of state for reproductive health care.
The cannabis and alcohol producer made the announcement after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade legal ruling, giving states the authority to ban abortions.
Tilray appears to be the first major licensed cannabis company to announce such a policy.
Most of Tilray’s employees are in Canada, but roughly 300 are located in the United States.
In 2021, Tilray acquired two California craft beer brands – Alpine and Green Flash – in a cash and stock deal worth $5.1 million (6.4 million Canadian dollars).
Last year, Tilray bought Colorado-based Breckenridge Distillery in a deal worth $102.9 million. And in 2020, the company purchased Atlanta-based SweetWater Brewing Co. for about $300 million.
“Considering the recent U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling, we are updating our health care benefits for all Tilray U.S. employees to include transportation expenses for employees and their covered family members to receive access to the reproductive care they need and choose,” CEO Irwin Simon said in a statement posted to his twitter account.
In a subsequent statement to MJBizDaily, a company spokesperson said, “Tilray’s updated health care benefits in the U.S. will include travel and accommodation expenses, as well as paid time off for covered health care reasons.”
MJBizDaily asked Tilray if the company planned to extend the same benefits to Canadian employees who do not have access to an abortion clinic where they live.
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“In Canada, reproductive care is included in health care benefits that the government provides,” the spokesperson wrote.
“Transportation to clinics may not be covered but we will always work with employees to support them where needed.”
Tilray’s shares trade as TLRY on the Nasdaq and Toronto Stock Exchange.
Matt Lamers can be reached at matt.lamers@mjbizdaily.com.
