Ask a Stoner: Should I Trust Vending Machine Weed?

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Dear Stoner: What’s the point of a weed vending machine if I still have to go to the dispensary to pick it up? That’s like buying a pre-packaged sandwich at Cheba Hut.
Elle

Dear Elle: I share your concern for freshness regarding anything that comes out of a vending machine — we've all suffered through stale Pop-Tarts and cheesy-peanut butter crackers — but it’s not like the weed on the shelf isn’t dry as a bone, or those discounted edibles aren’t on their deathbed. If anything, a vending machine might keep some of those products crisper than a jar or box does.

click to enlarge

Anna, a line of cannabis vending machines, made its debut at Kind Love dispensary in January.

Courtesy of Anna

Cannabis vending machines aren’t very widespread at Colorado dispensaries yet, but a few stores in Denver and southern Colorado are carrying them. Coronavirus and pandemic aftershock could make vending machines more prevalent going forward, and that development may not be all bad. The dispensary purchasing process takes too long for those of us who walk in knowing what we want and get stuck behind a newbie. If my purchase is similar in condition to what’s behind the bud bar and I can skip a line, why not save time?

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