Medical marijuana to soon be available in Colorado via vending machine

Coloradan's got a glimpse at the ease with which they will be able to purchase medical marijuana in the future, as the first vending machine designed to specifically dispense the herb was unveiled Friday night in Avon, CO.

Called the 'Zazz', the machine will dispense marijuana-based edible goods, however customers will still need to show a valid medical marijuana card and ID in order to make a purchase, according to Fox 31 Denver.

Stephen Shearin - whose company, American Green, designed the machine -said, “Many people could look at this and say that’s just a vending machine, and they’d be right but mostly wrong.”

"I don't think we've dreamed what it can do yet," he explained. "That's the whole point. You start with this and you start making your way into the future. I think this is a great starting point, and we’re excited about it"

The machine will eventually be stocked with goods from local dispenser Herbal Elements.

Herbal elements owner Greg Honan sees the machine as a better way to track inventory and reduce theft.

“We’re looking forward to using the ZAZZ machine to easily track all this inventory … we’re gonna eliminate the middle man," he explained. "It’ll go straight from the wholesaler, the courier, to our budtender, right into our machine. There’s no room for theft by patients, employees … there’s no way to lose track of the inventory.”

The machine is currently on display, but not yet operational, at Montana’s Smokehouse barbecue located in Avon, CO.

Watch video below from Fox 31 Denver: