Marijuana in Vending Machines Is the American Way

In April American Green, part of the Tranzbyte Corporation, unveiled a marijuana vending machine in Colorado intended for medical cannabis patients. The company plans to install its ZaZZZ vending machine in Herbal Elements, a medical marijuana dispensary in Eagle-Vail, Colorado.

ZaZZZ is out in the open, but allows customers to make their own choices in peace and relative privacy. In order to use the vending machine, customers must first present their IDs and medical marijuana cards at the door of the dispensary and then use an ID verification scanner attached to the vending machine. Tranzbyte COO Stephen Shearin told The Cannabist that the machine "uses the same technology that checks age/ID fraud under the Control Meth Act. Your identity is confirmed against active biometrics."

The ZaZZZ will stock a range of marijuana-related items, including joints and edibles. Herbal Elements owner Greg Honan told Denver's Fox 31 TV that the vending machine will make it easier to track inventory. The vending machine's contents go straight "from our budtender right into the machine," he explained. "There's no room for theft by patients, by employees."

Matthew Feeney ([e-mail]) is an assistant editor at Reason 24/7.