Alcohol And Prescription Drug Vending Machines?

Jan. 28, 2011
The march to drive costs out of the service economy marches on. Here are two things I thought I might not ever see. First, the wine: The machines require customers to swipe their driver's license and even give a breathalyzer test before they can choose ...

The march to drive costs out of the service economy marches on. Here are two things I thought I might not ever see.

First, the wine:

The machines require customers to swipe their driver's license and even give a breathalyzer test before they can choose between more than 50 varieties of wine.


http://www.toxel.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/vending14.jpg

And second, the pills (because that is, after all, the proper order):

(The first model identifies) users by their fingerprint or a unique number, demand PIN verification too, and then finally accept your prescription. (After which) a pharmacist comes along, picks up your prescription, fills it out, and deposits it in the machine for you to pick up. ... PharmaTrust seems to have a slightly better idea with its videophone-equipped, ATM-style robo-vendor ... designed to allow pharmacists to approve prescriptions off-site and out of usual working hours."


http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/08/10x0816ob234a2.jpg


And then, after digging into the subject, I discovered that the following things are ALSO available via vending machine on this glorioius and sometimes laughable planet of ours:

First list post featuring the 17 "most unusual vending machines":

iPods
Socks
Replacement body parts (yes it's a joke)
Gold
Plates (made to break for anger release purposes)
Bikes
After party shoes
Board games
Pizza
Boardshorts
Books
Soccer balls


Note I didn't list them all for reasons of space (and decorum). But were these really the "most unusual"? After a little digging, I found this link, featuring fourteen more vending machines selling the following:

Eggs
Smart cars (or, at least, information enough to buy one)
Ice
Beer
Ramen
Flowers
Necktie
Sneakers
Vegetables
Batteries
Live lobsters


What will they think of next? And... do I really want to know?

About the Author

Brad Kenney Blog | Chief Marketing Officer

Brad Kenney is the former Technology Editor of IndustryWeek and now serves as director of the mobile/social platforms practice at R/GA, a global marketing/advertising firm in New York City.

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