LOS ANGELES, Feb. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- AVT, Inc. (OTC Markets: AVTC) (www.autoretail.com), a leading manufacturer of automated retailing systems and custom vending machines, commented today on the NBC News report titled "A Marijuana First: Pot Vending Machines Dispense Weed."
"Weed history is being made in Seattle: the first vending machines to dispense marijuana flower buds debuted Tuesday," according to NBC News.
"Not so," according to Shannon Illingworth, founder and chairman of AVT, California-based vending manufacturer.
"We were building marijuana vending machines years ago," he said. "In fact, there is a report on Bloomberg News titled 'Dawn of the Marijuana Vending Machine' from back in May 2013," he added. "Whoever wrote the NBC News piece didn't do their homework."
Other reports trace the AVT-built marijuana vending machine back to early 2011.
However, there is a big difference in the type of machine that AVT built and ones discussed in the NBC story. "The systems we built were designed to be used by a dispensary operator and functioned as a compliance tool by verifying identities through a biometric fingerprint scan and by creating an unalterable record of purchases for taxation purposes and regulatory adherence," Illingworth stated.
As one of the leading innovators in the vending industry, Illingworth is known as a vocal supporter of pushing the limits of vending into new, often uncharted territories. His company was the first to put items into vending machines as diverse as carpet cleaning equipment, swimsuits, cupcakes, and freshly made protein shakes. But he believes that certain protocols must be adhered to in order to protect the fledgling cannabis industry and the consumer.
"It's not responsible to put something as divisive as marijuana into a vending machine without establishing firm guidelines that assure compliance and take all necessary steps to prevent unauthorized users from accessing product," he said.
For more information on AVT, call (877) 424-3663, or visit: www.autoretail.com
ABOUT AVT:
AVT is a world leader in customized self-service solutions, and has developed patented technologies that have gained international acclaim. The company has been awarded for their innovative vending designs, and is credited with being one of the leading forces in the Automated Retailing Industry.
AVT is publicly traded, ticker: AVTC.
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SOURCE AVT, Inc.
