Marijuana Vending Machines Raise Legal Questions
Though the federal government of the United States does not recognize any legal use for marijuana, 11 states have legalized its use for medical purposes. In recent months, controversy has emerged over which laws citizens are expected to follow, those of the state or those of the country.
The latest battle over the legalization of pot is set in Los Angeles, where the introduction of marijuana vending machines has provided debaters with new fuel for their fire. According to the Chicago Tribune, the inventor of the machines, Vincent Mehdizadeh, has touted them as promoting convenience, lowered prices, safety and anonymity for users.
Because the PVMs (prescription vending machines) reportedly operate in stores manned only by one employee (a security guard), fewer people need to be paid to work, hence prices are lowered. And because of the machines' stringent identification requirements, the likelihood of pot getting into the wrong hands is lowered.
BBC News reports that patients who use the marijuana dispensary machines must register a fingerprint, provide a photo ID and use a pre-paid card to operate the machines. Every time a patient makes a purchase, his image is recorded by the machine.
In other words, the PVMs, which evidently took seven months to develop and produce, utilize several safety and security features.
Though the machines have received ardent praise from supporters of legalized medical marijuana, their future could be cloudy. Since the passage of the Controlled Substances Act in 1970, marijuana has been a banned substance in the United States.
A California court decided earlier this year that federal anti-drug laws trump the more permissive state laws. In that case, a man had filed suit for being fired after his drug test came back positive for THC, the active chemical in marijuana. The man had apparently told his boss about his medical marijuana use.
But, in the eyes of the federal government, possession and distribution remain criminally punishable offenses. Those who sell marijuana to patients with a doctor's recommendation risk being charged with felonies if the Drug Enforcement Administration conducts a raid on their property.
And those who employ known drug users could face penalties, too.
If a lawsuit is brought against those who produce, stock or manage the PVMs, the machines' viability could be questioned and a lot of people could end up facing criminal charges.
Ironically, despite the controversy surrounding the use of vending machines to distribute weed, some industry insiders have apparently expressed enthusiasm for the concept of the PVM. Evidently, some people believe the concept will be used to sell less controversial medication across the country in the not-too-distant future.