Marijuana on the Go

Marijuana on the Go

Vending machines have advanced from dispensing candy, to DVDs to grams of gold. Now in California, you can get marijuana in vending machines. There aren’t many out there but the number of machines is growing. Currently, Los Angeles has at least three medical marijuana dispensaries with vending machines.

Easy Access Weed…for Some

Before the masses of marijuana smokers arrive in California to take advantage of this new convenience, take heed of the security features. You can’t simply walk up, put in your money and get some weed. The machine is intended for patients with legitimate medical marijuana prescriptions.

Don’t think you can outsmart the system that easily, either. The machines require patients to swipe a prepaid authorized card and fingerprint verification. The card and fingerprint must match up and be registered in the system to receive marijuana.

Vincent Mehdizadeh, the inventor of the marijuana vending machines, wants to provide patients convenient, 24-hour access. They can now get their medical marijuana in privacy and at a lower price. Currently, 1/8 oz of marijuana costs about $40.

There are restrictions for the patients buying from the machines. There is a limit to the amount of marijuana that each patient can buy a week.

The Controversy

The vending machines may help some people who have difficulty visiting dispensaries during open hours, but there are still flaws that can be exploited. Addicts looking for a fix, marijuana enthusiasts and many more people are going to find a way to get to the drug, one way or another. And for some, breaking into a vending machine may seem like an easier way than finding a dealer on the street.

Do you think there should be medical marijuana vending machines? Share your thoughts below or on Recovery Connection’s Facebook page.