Even though smoking pot may cause cancer, a dozen states have medical marijuana laws in place. California, home to many medical marijuana clubs — like the appropriately named Timothy Leary Medical Dispensary — now boasts a few 24-hour medical marijuana vending machines. 
These pot vending machines (PVMs) are kind of like ATMs, but filled with a different kind of green. Inventor Vincent Mehdizadeh, created the PVM for easier, uncomplicated buying methods for the already complicated position of being a medical marijuana user. To see how the PVM dispenses the goods read more.
To purchase a prescription, up to an ounce a week, you need to be an approved medical marijuana user registered in Mehdizadeh's database. The machines will require fingerprint identification (how very high tech — pun intended) and a prepaid card with a magnetic strip. After the card and fingerprint are verified, a bright green envelop drops out of the slot with the prescription doled out in 1/8-ounce increments. The idea behind these machines is fairly practical. They offer convenience, lower prices, and privacy for medicinal users who suffer from chronic pain, lack of appetite, and other ailments. The machine also buys some safety for the pot dispensaries from thefts and raids. Yes, raids. The DEA and the federal government do not recognize individual states' medical marijuana laws.
Will these vending machines be sitting next to traditional ones selling Snickers bars and Doritos? Nope, PVMs will only be available at specific medical dispensary buildings. Interesting business model or bad idea? Tell me what you think in the comments section below.
Patrizia Pepe
Rochas
Mango
That is pretty cool
1I wish anyone could use those
i think this is very practical and smart.
2I agree ladies, I like this...very clever.
3It's kind of a good idea and it might prevent breakins at other marijuana dispensaries. It'd be a lot harder to bust open a machine than to say, rob a traditional place with a gun.
4Great idea.
5As a person who suffers from 2 chronic degenerative diseases, each bringing with it it's own type of pain (MS which is nerve pain and RA which is joint pain), this machine would see me as a customer! Living in KS you can get arrested & sent to prison for saying the word pot.
6Nice idea!! ...and a good thing they dont put it in more public places...people might get weird ideas of trying to break into the machine.
7Some people pay $100 for a doctor to write them an Rx for pot. A doc in SF is known for it. It's such an abuse of the system. I feel bad for honest people that are really suffering from chronic pain due to cancer and such but I do not agree with medical Rx's for pot being given out by crooked doctors looking to make a quick buck. I don't totally understand the need/want for pot because it causes lung cancer. I do think people that are dying or suffering should be able to live a pain free life. It's too bad so many young people and druggies get Rx's and abuse the system. Just my opinion.
8Excellent idea - I fully support it, and I'm glad to hear the positive comments from the ladies above.
9i like this idea. my friends dad that would really benefit from this. he can barely walk.
10I live in a medical marijuana state too and I've been tempted by it myself when my migraines are atrocious and exhausting, the lack of protection is frustrating though.
11Crazy!
12
@ high tech!!
13I think this is a good idea. I would be concerned about safety of the machine/the building it was in though, people are crazy.
14that's crazy
15I think this is a smart idea since there are many people suffering from cancer that need relief.
16Ummmm...
17A double blind study done on 1200 individuals by several pulmonary experts has shown no link between smoked marijuana use and cancer. Recent studies show more medical marijuana patients will eat or use vaporizers to take their medicine rather then smoke it.
http://www.ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=977
Cannabis has been used by humans for thousands of years for medicinal purposes, using it properly for medicinal purposes poses little to no risk to a persons health especially when compared to the plethora of side effects one can expect from most conventional medicines.
With the growing recognition the public is gaining in regards to the benefit of having healthy organic eating habits, living natural lifestyles, using natural herbal treatments and holistic medicines that have been found to be better for you and in many cases much more effective then the available and often more expensive offerings of synthetic pharmaceuticals its inevitable that the federal government will have to change its tactics in regards to the fraud that the drug war is.
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