Company wants to introduce marijuana vending machines to Washington

BY Ursula Reutin  on January 3, 2013 @ 7:03 am (Updated: 10:28 am - 1/3/13 )

medicine-dispensing-systems-medbox_companyphoto.jpg
The California company says it wants to bring marijuana dispensing machines to our state, now that Washington has legalized pot. (Image courtesy CannaMedbox.com) | Zoom
They could be coming to Washington soon: pot vending machines.

Will we see Medbox pot vending machines, right next to the movies in the Redbox machine?

The California company says it wants to bring marijuana dispensing machines to our state, now that Washington has legalized pot.

KING 5 reports the machines are already being used in some states where medicinal marijuana is legal.

The machines require patients to scan a fingerprint that then links them to an on-file prescription for medical marijuana.

In Massachusetts, the pot vending machines are placed behind the counter of dispensaries. Besides your fingerprint, patients also need to have a state ID and a HIPPA compliant user ID card provided by the company.

Medbox is working to adapt the machines for recreational users. They could dispense everything from weed in pill bottles to marijuana-infused foods, lotions or lollipops.

Washington state is still working out rules for implementing the new marijuana law and has until the end of the year to do so.

The CEO of Medbox says they're ready to work with the liquor control board and small businesses through the maze of regulations. He says the machines would ensure that all regulations are followed, taxes are collected and quantity limits are never breached.

Ursula Reutin, KIRO Radio Reporter
Ursula Reutin is the news anchor for The Dori Monson Show and has worked nearly every position in the KIRO Radio newsroom since her arrival in 1988.
More Local News
Top Stories
MyNorthwest.com - Purpose of Comments statement
Bonneville Media encourages site users to express their opinions by posting comments. Our goal is to maintain a civil dialogue in which readers feel comfortable. At times, the comments can descend to personal attacks. Please do not engage in such behavior. We encourage your thoughtful comments which: have a positive and constructive tone, are on topic, are respectful toward others and their opinions. Bonneville reserves the right to remove comments which do not conform to these criteria.

Comments (18)


  • Add A Comment

  • CH wrote...
    Call 1-800-mary-jane . . . .
    January 3, 2013 6:36 am
    I did line busy. Got it on "speed" dial. May bee Bill Lawn will give me some smoked founder. She was on a good trip yes ter day.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • NW observer wrote...
    Marijuana vending
    January 3, 2013 7:36 am
    This is medical marijuana, right? The machines should be in pharmacies or hospital ER's.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Duncan20903 wrote...
    A pathetic argument of form over substance
    January 3, 2013 10:04 am
    You're argument would be nonsense even if we were talking about medicinal cannabis. Since the Federal government would promptly blacklist any pharmacy or ER that tried that, are you such a horrid person that you would deny needed medicine and therefore in favor of making sick people suffer more than needed? If you really believe what you claim let's see you write a letter to your Congressman and U.S. Senators demanding that the Feds stop blocking that very thing. But you really don't care about the sick, do you?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Fuego wrote...
    So this will be like
    January 3, 2013 7:59 am
    the old vending machines for cigarettes as long as they post a warning that you must be 21 or older to purchase. Should work just fine.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    Look Bill FLOUNDER, founder, GOP they are all the same . . . .
    January 3, 2013 8:32 am
    this is a union site. The spell checking is done by the xkop. Now get your arsehole back to setting bait, bait boy.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Dark Jedi wrote...
    Yes, it'll work....until
    January 3, 2013 8:35 am
    the first wave of machines get ripped off their foundations and you find the remains of it in a ditch with all it's product missing. They steal man hole covers. Why not an entire vending machine?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Duncan20903 wrote...
    It's the DEA that steals machines like this
    January 3, 2013 10:05 am
    n/t
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Newton wrote...
    They won't steal a machine if its in a food mart.
    January 3, 2013 9:45 am
    Its a great idea. Home movie from red box some meds from the med box. What could go wrong. Its a new world. I would like to see hemp farms making fuel that is so much cleaner then the crap we burn in are wagons today. So Bring on the hemp fuel farms.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Jeff Schroeder wrote...
    No thanks
    January 3, 2013 11:00 am
    ...I'd rather buy it from the guy I've bought it from for the last 20 years. Sorry Corporate America
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • awbitf wrote...
    In 20 years
    January 3, 2013 11:11 am
    ...maybe sooner... the neighborhood pharmacist is going to go the way of the video rental store. Why require a masters degree to count pre-made pills? Pharmacy will be purely vending machine.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • vanderleun wrote...
    Because nothing is smarter
    January 3, 2013 11:23 am
    than having your name and fingerprints on file with the government as a drug user, right? Right.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Hakuzen wrote...
    Can we get shark75 banned already?
    January 3, 2013 11:31 am
    He is an obvious troll, and not even a good one.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Snout wrote...
    Huh.
    January 3, 2013 2:08 pm
    Why are there not medboxes for other supposed medicines? And why is there this sudden upsurge in cases of glaucoma now? And how can the afflicted make it to the medbox and see all the tiny little buttons?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }