Marijuana vending machines gain popularity in U.S.
One small step to accessibility, one huge leap for smokers everywhere
By Lindsay Rice, Staff Writer
April 20, 2008 | 11 a.m.
Nowadays in Los Angeles, Funyuns are not the only treats thunking through the vending machine at your disposal. It could very well be Purple Kush, a popular strain of marijuana, instead of your favorite carbonated soda.
The first marijuana vending machine, Anytime Vending Machine (AVM), are the latest technology in medicinal marijuana distribution and have elicited enthusiastic responses from pot smokers across the United States.
However, not just any munchie-seeking stoner will be able to stumble upon such a pleasant surprise. A security guard protects the buildings of their locations around the clock, and the precautionary measures do not stop there.
Upon entrance, the patient must slide his or her AVM-specific identification card and give an electronic fingerprint while a camera snaps a picture of the customer at each and every visit to further confirm the legitimacy. At last, the choosing begins.
The AVM offers a total of five strains, including the popular Wild Cherry and Granddaddy Purple, in a vacuum-sealed bag for guaranteed freshness. A patient can purchase up to one ounce per week and as little as 3.5 grams, more commonly known on the streets as an eighth, a cut or a slice.
Marijuana use, whether it is for recreational or medicinal purposes, has been a topic of debate for years. This latest development is an undoubtedly huge step in the progression of its accessibility. The experts have proved the benefits of the natural ground-growing weed, but, nonetheless, resistance has not disappeared.
A list formed by the Government Accountability Office has found the so-called drug to be useful in providing relief of anything from cancer to anorexia to the common migraine.
If experts in the field and even a facet of the government are acknowledging such usefulness in the herb, this begs the question: Where is the opposition coming from and on what is it founded?
When comparing weed to a cigarette, it goes without saying that there is not much of a contest between the two. You won’t find any cyanide in your pipes this upcoming 4/20 (or any other day).
Of course the risks of smoke inhalation are equaled in both cases, but by extracting the THC and baking your smoke, in let’s say, brownies, the only real risk involved with marijuana is diminished.
Death by overdose of marijuana is a phrase that holds no meaning yet in cheebah-chiefing history. However, alcohol-related deaths on the other hand are one of the leading causes of death in the U.S.
This is not to say that we should live in a world where forgetful hungry people roam around with their eyes half closed, but it does highlight at least one aspect of the hypocrisy that is perpetuated by our government.
The AVM is a step in the right direction toward offering those in pain relief from sometimes the most devastating of sicknesses, and it also serves as a beacon of light to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws members everywhere.
Currently, more and more states in the U.S. are formally decriminalizing pot in some way. Ohio laws reflect the changing times, and the penalty for possession of 100 grams is a mere fine and minor misdemeanor. The same goes for cultivation and distribution, while actual paraphernalia warrants a 30-day maximum sentence and a much heftier fine.
As active groups for the reform of marijuana laws and conscientious smokers keep the battle for legality going, our country is slowly catching up with the more liberal-hearted European cities like Amsterdam.
Despite much advancement, I would not start the process of striving for that medical AVM card for your “migraines” just yet. These newfangled machines will most likely not be popping up in Athens anytime soon.
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