The introduction of medical marijuana vending machines is a curious development.
I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, the machines are convenient for patients and provide 24 hour service, unlike traditional dispensaries. They could provide a useful fallback for a patient who accidentally runs their medicine through the laundry after hours. With onsite security to verify doctor recommendations and prevent theft, there seems to be little potential for abuse.
Still, the specter of "drug-filled vending machines" has long been raised as a red herring by the prohibitionist peanut gallery. Though the machines only serve medicial marijuana to valid patients protected under California's Prop. 215, it's easy to imagine their mere existence being cited by our opponents as evidence of a "slippery slope" towards ubiquitous marijuana distribution under the banner of medical use.
Whatcha think?
I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, the machines are convenient for patients and provide 24 hour service, unlike traditional dispensaries. They could provide a useful fallback for a patient who accidentally runs their medicine through the laundry after hours. With onsite security to verify doctor recommendations and prevent theft, there seems to be little potential for abuse.
Still, the specter of "drug-filled vending machines" has long been raised as a red herring by the prohibitionist peanut gallery. Though the machines only serve medicial marijuana to valid patients protected under California's Prop. 215, it's easy to imagine their mere existence being cited by our opponents as evidence of a "slippery slope" towards ubiquitous marijuana distribution under the banner of medical use.
Whatcha think?
Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.
Add new comment