News /U.S. news
Weed history is being made in Seattle: the first vending machines to dispense marijuana flower buds debuted Tuesday.
The machines, called
ZaZZZ, are being placed in medical pot dispensaries, which helps to
verify customer's age and identity since medical marijuana cards are
required to enter the centers, said Greg Patrick, a spokesman for the
maker of ZaZZZ, American Green.
Though vending machines
appeared for the first time in Colorado last year, those sold only
edibles, or cannabis-infused foods, and not the plant's flower buds that
are so often associated with smoking pot.
"It's historic, there's
just no other way to state it. We saw the repeal of prohibition in the
early 20th century and the mark that made on our country and the
companies that did it right," Patrick said. "We're in that stage. This
will only happen once in our country's history, the repeal of this
prohibition."
The machines have a
touchscreen where buyers can make orders, play video games and read
medical information about the products. They swipe their medical
marijuana IDs or driver's licenses to make sure they can legally
purchase the goods and must pay in cash or bitcoin since the federal
government doesn't allow debit or credit cards to be used in the sale of marijuana.
Like machines that
dispense soda or snacks, ZaZZZ intends to speed up the distribution for
those who don't want to wait in a line at the dispensary.
"Once you swipe your ID,
you can go shopping on the screen," Patrick said. "You can be in and
out — literally — in a matter of minutes."
ZaZZZ vending machines
in Colorado and Washington state, where legal recreational weed sales
began last year, can dispense flower buds. But for the time being,
American Green has to partner with growers in those states since the
Tempe, Arizona-based firm — like others — can't ship medical marijuana
product across state lines under federal laws.
Ultimately, American
Green hopes to take the machines to other venues outside medical
marijuana dispensaries as acceptance and awareness of the products
grows. The company said the machine — which doesn't have a glass window
that could be broken into — is secure against would-be thiefs.
"That machine is like a miniature little Fort Knox," Patrick said.
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