Marijuana vending machines have been launched in California.

The machines can only be used by people who have been prescribed the drug for health reasons, reports the BBC.

Patients will have to provide a prescription, and be fingerprinted and photographed before being allowed to use the facilities.

Eleven US states allow the medicinal use of marijuana, primarily for pain relief, but it remains controversial.

Vince Mehdizadeh, owner of the Herbal Nutrition Centre in Los Angeles, where one of the two first machines is based, said it would allow patients to buy extra supplies whenever needed.

Once the users have been photographed, fingerprinted and have shown their prescription, they will be issued with a card which can be used in the machines, he told KWTX News 10 in the US.

"They'll be greeted by a security guard right there. They'll slide the card in and they'll fingerprint in to verify that it's them," he said.

"A camera takes a picture of them, verifying that they're actually at the machine. And they get the medicine and they move on."

The operators think that vending machines issuing prescription drugs could become a common sight in the US.

Marijuana remains officially banned in the US and the federal government does not recognise any medical use.

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*Starts singing*I'm goin back to Cali..Cali..Cali, I'm goin back to Cali.

just legalize the stuff and cut all this extra uneccessary crap.
i'm a college student that smokes everyday. my grades are great and I'm vp of a large organization.
its all a conspiracy to keep people completely hooked on prescribed meds.
1-2 tokes of some good herb can cure/relieve the same problems that 25 different pills "cure"
this has to stop.

*contemplates relocating* that is the coolest freaking thing ever!!

If you think that is cool, you should come over here sometime. We have shops that sell marijuana on almost every corner of the street!
And of course, it is all legal

The only bad thing is that you have to buy doritos and twinkies from a different machine..

Killjoy

Besides, an experienced "user" already has those items not too far away.

Why didn't I think of this?


Oh wait I'm sure I have before maybe...

once long ago...

at some indeterminable point of time....

*sees a butterfly and follows it into the other room...*

I agree with ya. I don't smoke it, but half my family does and there's some heavy drinkers too. I think that unless alcohol is made illegal, weed should be legal too. Alcohol is WAY worse than any amount of weed can ever hope to be.

I watched the video yesterday and that is some good lookin bud in that machine.

I can only imagine... *drools*

I totally agree! Even my own doctors have stated they would prefer the option of prescribing me pot, which works far better for my pain, appitite and helps me sleep better than the dozens of pills (Most highly addictive) i have to swallow up to 8 times a day! When i smoke i cut down on pills, have more energy and everything is better! With pills they have to increase the dosage every few months or they plain stop being as effective! Not to mention law enforcement would be free to actually prevent and follow up on real crimes! But of course that would make too much sense for the government to understand! Gee what was i thinking?

I have glaucoma problems. I wish they would legalize it here in the east.

good point addition.

*high five

I dont smoke it, I never will, but hey, if we legalize it than we can focus on damaging drugs.

Wicked. "What's the quickest way to get to California"?

Seriously, I would have thought the government wouldnt have a bar of it.

Drug's are bad, M-kay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNbExvU42q4

the quickest way would be for you to dig a tunnel there:-P