Young adults love their technology. If something can be done one way, it most certainly can be done in an easier, more efficient way. You can now walk into store and buy things just by tapping your smartphone. All our information can be stored into these little devices with biometric safeguards to prevent fraud and such. This is a young person’s world and they do not want the hassle of what they perceive to be unnecessary steps, like signatures and paper money. But as we trudge headlong into the future, there should be some oversight regarding what it is that can be purchased with little thought and relative ease. Things like prescription drugs, marijuana and alcohol. Right?
If you have been to an airport in the last several years, there is a good chance that you strolled past automated kiosks on your way to the gate that sell anything from lotion to iPods. While the prices are usually outrageous, some will pay to get their hands on something they left at home. The vending machines are novel devices that are essentially a one stop shop for just about any gadget or toiletry you can think of, and maybe pretty soon things that you would have never imagined finding in a vending machine. They don’t just exist in airports you can find them in malls and even casinos.
There are some young men and women today who began smoking at a young age. There is a good chance, depending on which state you grew up in, that you remember cigarette machines that were ideal for acquiring tobacco without an ID. If you knew where one was, then you may have looked at it as a godsend. If you are still smoking today, however, you might have a different view. Which is why we thought it valuable to discuss a world where you could buy marijuana, alcohol and prescription drugs via automated kiosks.
Marijuana Green Machine
In most of the United States people have access to medical marijuana. A number of states have also legalized recreational use for adults. There are scores of dispensaries around the country where you can acquire the drug. However, there is a chance that some states will loosen the restrictions on acceptable places to acquire marijuana, and not just marijuana, but alcohol and pharmaceuticals as well.
An Arizona medical-cannabis technology company created a prototype vending machine that may be selling age-restricted items around the country in the future, USA Today reports. The devices would use biometric verification technology to determine that purchasers are of age or have prescriptions for certain drugs. At American Green, Chief Operating Officer Stephen Shearin believes that the machines would be ideal for both casinos and drug stores.
However, it is hard to imagine any scenario when placing marijuana, prescription drugs and alcohol in one place is a good idea. It is worth noting that alcohol, marijuana and pharmaceuticals can be dangerous on their own. Giving people the ability to acquire them all with only digital safeguards seems quite risky.
Cross-Drug Use
On top of the fact that drugs and alcohol are addictive, mixing them can have serious repercussions, if done on a regular basis. The human body, and the organs responsible for filtering and metabolizing the substances, can only do some much. When the organs are overloaded, damage usually occurs that can affect people for the rest of their lives.
Young men and women already are apt to make reckless decisions, it would seem that adult vice vending machines are a recipe for disaster, disguised as a convenient one stop shop. Drugs and alcohol are not safe, mixing them together can be pave the way to addiction, mixing too much of one or the other can result in premature death.
It is also worth noting that many young adults get on the pernicious road towards addiction by way of alcohol and marijuana. Do we really need vending machines to help them along such a precarious path?
Going forward…
At PACE Recovery Center, we specialize in the treatment of young adults (18-30). This age group greatly benefits from evidence based treatment tailored to their unique needs. We have a multi-pronged approach to our men’s addiction treatment program and philosophy because we understand that our clients are complex beings and they make complex choices. We invite your inquiries, should you feel you or your young adult son is in need of treatment.
