HempLucid, a leading provider of plant-based wellness supplements, is the first startup to offer medically supervised Ketamine-Assisted Therapy (KAP) as an employee benefit.
Ketamine is a general anesthetic, first used on the battlefields of Vietnam because it did not slow the heartrate like other anesthetics. Today, ketamine is used by first responders to calm people trying to take their own lives, and as an emerging medical treatment for depression.
"The interesting and exciting part is that it came out of neuroscience research, instead of by chance, said Gerard Sanacora, M.D., Ph.D., a psychiatrist at Yale Medicine involved in many ketamine studies.
Former first responder turned HempLucid CEO Chase Hudson's advocacy of psychedelic assisted therapies was cemented as a co-producer of Reborn, which chronicles Lamar Odom's use of psychedelic-assisted therapies during his recovery from drug addiction.
"We are in a new era," said Chase Hudson, CEO HempLucid.
"We know mental and physical health are deeply connected. HempLucid's corporate wellness program is the necessary bridge for our employees while our health care system catches up," he continued.
HempLucid's ketamine-infusion pilot program started in 2019 with executive leadership participation, including Hudson. In 2022, HempLucid, which now covers the full cost of ketamine infusions for employees, formalized the offering as a health care benefit through a first of its kind partnership with Canadian firm, Numinus Wellness.
The employee benefit ensures access to KAP to any employee with a mental health diagnosis. Traditional therapy is covered through HempLucid's existing health care plan and HempLucid continues to cover ketamine infusions. The combination of traditional therapy and ketamine infusions is the medical therapy known as KAP.
HempLucid's corporate wellness program also includes holistic approaches including massage, cryotherapy, hypobaric chambers, float tanks and weekly team building events.
"Our approach is holistic. We want to our employees to have access to all pathways to healing. As individuals and as a team, we have seen incredible shifts, in productivity, temperament, and empathy in ourselves and as a team. These benefits are now part of our corporate core." said Hudson.
