American Green, a leader in the new legal weed industry, has deployed the world’s first marijuana vending machine. Vending machines dispensing marijuana related products first made their debut last year and have been limited to selling cannabis-infused foods or edibles. But this bud vending machine, like of all American Green’s previous machines, accepts bitcoin.
“[Consumers] 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,” said Greg Patrick, a spokesman for American Green.
Like the rest of the industry, American Green walks a thin line between legal and illegal; some state laws allowing the company to provide it’s vending machines, while federal laws ban the sale and consumption of marijuana. Because of this legal haziness, credit card companies won’t do business with them — leaving them to turn to alternatives like cash or bitcoin.
“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.”
After
scanning their medical marijuana IDs or driver’s license, customers will be prompted by the machine’s touch screen. After clicking on the “green” item in the product menu, the machine will ask you how you would like to pay. If you choose bitcoin, a QR code will pop up which you can scan and pay. Then, a in fashion similar to candy or soda vending machines, a plastic case of weed will be dispensed.
“Providing a payment facility that has a super-low cost to it, like bitcoin, is an effective way to provide these guys, dispensaries and dispensary owners, with a means of doing their business that is more efficient than other facilities that charge a higher fee,” Stephen Shearin, American Green COO, said in an interview.
For now, these marijuana vending machines are only available in Washington state. Due to federal laws, they are unable to be shipped over state lines. The company will bring the machines to other US states that have legalized weed to one degree or another, but will first need to establish suppliers in the state. The company plans to bring its vending machines to those states later this year.
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Photo courtesy of Americangreen.com
Photo courtesy of Americangreen.com