Crime & Safety

WATCH: Jimmy Kimmel Vs. The O.C. Marijuana Vending Machine

First of its kind the nation, the machine even takes credit cards.

First came the cupcake ATM, now we have it's nefarious counterpart -- the marijuana vending machine.

Marijuana is now available with the same ease as purchasing a bag of potato chips thanks to Orange County's Dispense Labs.

The company placed a medical marijuana vending machine in Santa Ana last week, which founder Joe DeRobbio thinks could eliminate some safety concerns.

Find out what's happening in Fountain Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Each machine requires a registration card, a pin number and fingerprint recognition to be operated by a customer. Highly sophisticated security measures protect these machines from being tempered with or broken into. The medical marijuana inventory is approved by SC Laboratories.

Dispense Labs, based in Aliso Viejo, believes that the high business standard to which these machines are held legitimizes the current market. Autospense machines are available for rent, only to pre-qualified dispensaries.

Find out what's happening in Fountain Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Now, Jimmy Kimmel has weighed in. The talk-show host himself wasn't participating in cannabis consumption, but just revealing his thoughts on the marijuana vending machine.

"Finally we'll have somewhere to buy marijuana other than the 7,000 medical marijuana shops that are on every corner here," Kimmel joked.

He continued by bringing up a very good point, "Isn't every vending machine made for pot smokers?" 

Twitter voices have also sounded off about the machine:

“California (of course) tests a pot vending machine. I assume they're put next to machines loaded with delicious snacks.”

“A marijuana vending machine? Can it sell you Twinkies and Doritos too?: Call it Robo-pot.”

“Medical marijuana vending machines...can I have a brownie please?”

According to Gawker, Medbox, a company that claims to have invented a similar dispensing system five years ago, ordered the company to cease and desist. Attempts were made to contact Dispense Labs.


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