Legal Status of Cannabis Vending Machines by U.S. State (2025)

As of early 2025, cannabis laws vary widely across U.S. states. In 24 states and Washington, D.C., adult-use (recreational) cannabis is legal, and 39 states plus D.C. have medical cannabis programs (source: NCSL.org).

The use of cannabis vending machines – automated kiosks that dispense cannabis products – is far more restrictive. Only a handful of states explicitly allow such machines under strict conditions, while many states explicitly prohibit them by law or regulation. Most others have no specific provisions (implying they may be allowed under the same rules as dispensaries).

The chart below details each state’s status for recreational and medical cannabis, whether vending machines are allowed, any location or ID requirements, special notes, and any pending legislation related to vending machines or automated cannabis distribution.

 

State-by-State Legal Status of Cannabis Vending Machines

Below, each state is listed with its recreational (Rec) and medical (Med) cannabis status and whether vending machines are permitted. “Permitted” generally means not expressly forbidden by law – in practice any allowed machines must still follow all dispensary regulations (age checks, tracking, security, etc.).

Alabama – Rec: Illegal; Med: Limited (CBD-only law). Cannabis vending machines are not applicable, since Alabama has no general medical or recreational cannabis program (only a very limited medical CBD program) . All marijuana is illegal, so any automated cannabis sale would be unlawful.

Alaska – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Allowed (no specific ban). Alaska’s regulations do not specifically prohibit cannabis vending machines . Any vending machine must operate under a licensed marijuana retailer and adhere to all state retail rules . (Age 21+ only, on licensed premises, tracking of sales, etc.). No special vending machine license is required.

Arizona – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Prohibited. Arizona’s adult-use law implicitly requires a human “marijuana facility agent” to physically transfer product to the consumer, meaning unattended vending is not allowed . There is no provision for automated dispensing in Arizona’s rules, so both medical and recreational sales must be conducted by dispensary staff.

Arkansas – Rec: Illegal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Not allowed. Arkansas’s medical marijuana program requires in-person dispensing at licensed dispensaries. There are no known allowances for vending machines, and sales must be face-to-face by a dispensary agent (no self-service). The state has no recreational program, so that is not applicable.

California – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Allowed (with conditions). California law does not explicitly mention vending machines, but they are permitted within licensed dispensaries under general regulations . Machines must verify age, be secure, accept only permissible payment (cash, since cards are often not used due to federal law) and comply with local ordinances . Several dispensaries have deployed kiosks or vending machines for quicker service. All transactions are tracked in the state system (Metrc). Note: Local governments in CA may impose additional restrictions, so compliance with city/county rules is required .

Colorado – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Explicitly Allowed and Regulated (Dispensary-only). Colorado was a pioneer here – the Marijuana Enforcement Division has formal rules permitting automated dispensing machines in licensed dispensaries . Machines must be “reasonably monitored” by staff, integrated with seed-to-sale tracking, and meet all packaging, labeling, and ID requirements . For example, the state-approved ACE (Automated Cannabis Experience) machine in Aurora, CO can package, label, and dispense products, but it operates inside a dispensary’s age-restricted area and still requires ID checks before use  . Colorado specifically updated regulations to accommodate such devices, making it a model state for cannabis vending innovation  .

Connecticut – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Allowed (no explicit ban). Connecticut’s cannabis regulations (overseen by the Dept. of Consumer Protection) do not currently forbid vending machines . Any automated dispensing must still follow all retail requirements – e.g. sales only to adults 21+ (or valid patients), purchase limits, tracking, and data privacy for customer information . There is no specific mention of machines in law, so in principle a dispensary could use one with regulator approval.

Delaware – Rec: Legal (as of 2023); Med: Legal.* Vending Machines: Allowed (no explicit ban). Delaware’s regulations (Office of the Marijuana Commissioner) have no specific limitation on vending machines . Any vending machine would need to be operated by a licensed retail location and obey all standard security and sales rules . (Note: Delaware legalized recreational cannabis in 2023, with sales expected to begin in 2024-2025; any vending provisions would fall under the same rules as dispensaries.)

Florida – Rec: Illegal; Med: Legal (MMTC license holders). Vending Machines: Allowed for Medical Use (under strict conditions). Florida permits medical marijuana dispensing machines on a limited basis. Only licensed Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTCs) can deploy them, and they must obtain state and local approval for the machine’s location . The machines must integrate with Florida’s seed-to-sale tracking and comply with all security requirements . Essentially, an MMTC could use a vending machine at a dispensary for registered patients – but recreational use is not legal in Florida, so vending is only for medical cannabis. (Recent news has shown AI-powered age-verification kiosks being introduced by some Florida companies in dispensaries .)

Georgia – Rec: Illegal; Med: Limited (low-THC oil program). Vending Machines: Not allowed. Georgia’s limited medical cannabis law (low-THC oil only) tightly controls distribution (through select pharmacies or dispensaries) and does not allow vending machines. All sales must be handled by authorized personnel. No recreational cannabis is legal.

Hawaii – Rec: Illegal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Not allowed. Hawaii’s medical marijuana dispensaries require in-person transactions; there is no provision for automated dispensing. State rules mandate verification of patient IDs by staff. Recreational cannabis remains illegal in Hawaii as of 2025, so no vending machines for adult use.

Idaho – Rec: Illegal; Med: Illegal. Vending Machines: Illegal. Idaho has no cannabis program (neither medical nor recreational), so any sale of marijuana – vending machine or otherwise – is illegal. (Even CBD products in Idaho must contain 0% THC.)

Illinois – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Prohibited by law. Illinois law explicitly forbids dispensaries from dispensing cannabis via vending machines . The Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act states that a dispensing organization may “not allow the dispensing of cannabis or cannabis-infused products from vending machines.”  All purchases (medical or adult-use) must be completed by a dispensary agent in person. There are also bans on drive-through sales in Illinois law . Bottom line: no unattended cannabis dispensing is allowed in Illinois.

Indiana – Rec: Illegal; Med: Illegal. Vending Machines: Illegal. Indiana has no legal cannabis program. Therefore, any marijuana vending machine would be unlawful. (Indiana only allows CBD with zero THC; anything containing THC is prohibited.)

Iowa – Rec: Illegal; Med: Limited (medical CBD with low THC). Vending Machines: Not allowed. Iowa’s limited medical cannabis dispensaries (which sell low-THC products) must dispense via pharmacists or certified staff. No automated cannabis sales are permitted. Recreational cannabis is illegal.

Kansas – Rec: Illegal; Med: Illegal. Vending Machines: Illegal. Kansas has no medical or recreational cannabis legalization, so cannabis vending machines are not legal.

Kentucky – **Rec: Illegal; Med: *Legal (medical law passed in 2023, program starting 2025). Vending Machines: Likely not allowed. Kentucky’s new medical cannabis program (enacted 2023) is just beginning and will have strict controls. There is no indication that vending machines will be permitted – dispensaries will dispense to patients directly. Recreational marijuana remains illegal in KY.

Louisiana – Rec: Illegal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Not allowed. Louisiana’s medical cannabis is dispensed through licensed pharmacies with pharmacists on-site, under tight supervision. No vending machines are allowed in this model (sales are person-to-person only). No recreational use is legal in Louisiana.

Maine – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Prohibited by law. Maine’s adult-use cannabis law forbids sales via vending machines. Specifically, a licensed cannabis store “may not sell adult-use cannabis or products using an automated dispensing or vending machine.”  This also applies to medical dispensaries – Maine requires all cannabis sales to be through an employee. Therefore, vending machines are not legal in Maine’s cannabis market. (Drive-through and internet/app sales are also prohibited by the same section .)

Maryland – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Allowed (no explicit ban). Maryland’s cannabis regulations (overseen by the Maryland Cannabis Administration) do not specifically mention vending machines . As of 2025, there are no explicit prohibitions, so theoretically a dispensary could use one internally, but it would still need to follow all standard rules for sales (age 21+ verification, purchase limits, etc.) . (Maryland legalized adult-use in 2023, and no vending-specific rules were introduced then.)

Massachusetts – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Effectively Prohibited by regulation. Massachusetts generally does not allow any self-service or vending of cannabis. Both state guidance and local regulations prohibit unattended sales; for example, Massachusetts health board model regulations state “All vending machines containing marijuana products are prohibited.”  The Cannabis Control Commission requires all retail sales to be face-to-face with a dispensary agent. While a few dispensaries piloted automated kiosks internally, these still operate under employee supervision. There is no separate vending machine license in MA, and any attempt to use one must comply with the rule that an authorized employee is present during the transaction .

Michigan – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Allowed (no explicit ban). Michigan’s cannabis laws do not specifically ban vending machines . A marijuana retailer could install a vending system on the licensed premises as long as it meets all Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency rules (inventory tracking, ID check, etc.). There is no direct reference to vending in the statutes, so compliance would be assessed under general dispensary operations. Practical note: As of 2025 there haven’t been reports of standalone machines in Michigan, but nothing in state law outright forbids them .

Minnesota – Rec: Legal (2023); Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Prohibited by law. When Minnesota legalized adult-use cannabis in 2023, the legislation explicitly stated cannabis products cannot be sold via vending machines . Thus, even licensed dispensaries may not use vending devices. (Minnesota’s law also banned drive-through cannabis sales.) Only face-to-face transactions are allowed. This ban covers the medical program as well, which is tightly regulated by the state – no unattended dispensing.

Mississippi – Rec: Illegal; Med: Legal (2022). Vending Machines: Not allowed. Mississippi’s medical cannabis law requires direct dispensing to qualified patients by licensed dispensary staff. No provision for vending machines exists, and sales must be in-person. Recreational marijuana is illegal in Mississippi, so no vending applies there.

Missouri – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Allowed (no explicit ban). Missouri’s cannabis regulations (from the Department of Health & Senior Services) do not list any prohibition on vending machines . A dispensary could potentially use an automated machine on-site, but it must still adhere to all retail rules (employee monitoring, ID verification, tracking, etc.) . Missouri legalized recreational use in 2022, and as of 2025 no specific vending machine rules have been issued – so they are allowed by omission, though not yet common.  For a detailed regulatory overview, read more here. 

Montana – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Prohibited by law. Montana’s legalization implementation bill (HB 701, 2021) expressly forbids the sale of cannabis through vending machines . Dispensaries cannot install them. All transactions must be handled by a budtender. This ban covers both adult-use dispensaries and medical providers in Montana.

Nebraska – Rec: Illegal; Med: Illegal. Vending Machines: Illegal. Nebraska has no legal cannabis (only a very limited CBD law). Any marijuana vending machine would be illegal.

Nevada – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Prohibited by law. Nevada regulations explicitly state that a cannabis establishment “shall not dispense or sell cannabis or cannabis products from a vending machine, nor allow one on the premises” . The law (NRS 678B.510) bans vending machines at both interior and exterior of licensed facilities . Therefore, Nevada dispensaries (medical or recreational) cannot use vending machines at all. This has been the rule since Nevada’s early recreational market roll-out.

New Hampshire – Rec: Illegal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Not allowed. NH’s medical cannabis dispensaries (ATCs) must dispense directly to patients – no vending machines are authorized. There is no recreational legalization in NH as of 2025 (efforts ongoing), so no vending on that front either. (Notably, some NH lawmakers have pointed to vending machines in legal states as something they’d like in the future , but currently it’s not legal there.)

New Jersey – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Allowed (no explicit ban). New Jersey’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission rules do not specifically forbid vending machines . Thus, a licensed dispensary could deploy one with compliance to standard regulations. Any machine would need to be inside a dispensary and subject to the state’s ID verification, purchase limits, and security monitoring rules. As of 2025, NJ has seen a rapid expansion of dispensaries, but no known vending machine installations yet – still, it is legally possible since there is “no current limitation” in the regulations .

New Mexico – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Allowed (no explicit ban). New Mexico’s cannabis law and rules do not mention vending machines, meaning they are not expressly prohibited . Any such machine would have to operate under a dispensary’s license with full compliance (21+ age restriction, etc.). New Mexico’s market opened in 2022 for recreational sales, and as of 2025 vending machines are not common, but legally a dispensary could have one on-site.

New York – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Prohibited by regulation. New York’s cannabis regulations explicitly ban the use of vending machines at dispensaries. According to 9 NYCRR §123.10, a retail dispensary “shall not dispense or sell cannabis products from a vending machine or allow one on the premises (interior or exterior).” Sales can only be conducted by authorized dispensary employees . This rule, adopted as New York launched adult-use sales in 2022–2023, means no vending machines are allowed for either recreational or medical dispensaries in NY.

North Carolina – Rec: Illegal; Med: Illegal (only very limited CBD). Vending Machines: Illegal. NC has no medical cannabis program (as of early 2025, a medical bill is in progress but not yet operative) and no recreational legalization. Thus, cannabis vending machines are not legal.

North Dakota – Rec: Illegal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Not allowed. North Dakota’s medical marijuana dispensaries must have pharmacists or trained staff dispensing in person. No vending machines are mentioned or permitted. (ND voters rejected a recreational cannabis measure in 2022, so no rec program.)

Ohio – *Rec: Legal (adult-use passed by voters Nov 2023, in implementation); Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Prohibited (medical, and likely for rec). Ohio’s medical marijuana rules explicitly require direct, face-to-face dispensing and ban “electronic or mechanical devices such as vending machines.”  All medical sales must be conducted by a dispensary employee to a patient/caregiver . With Ohio’s new recreational legalization (2023), regulations are still being developed, but it is expected that similar rules will apply, disallowing vending machines for adult-use sales . Until any change, no cannabis vending machines can be used in Ohio.

Oklahoma – Rec: Illegal (2023 initiative failed); Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Allowed (by omission) for medical use. Oklahoma’s medical marijuana program has famously loose regulations for dispensaries, and there is no specific prohibition on vending machines in state rules. All sales must be to valid patients 18+ (or minors with guardian) and recorded in tracking, but the law doesn’t forbid automated dispensing. In practice, any vending machine would have to be located at a dispensary (since that’s the only lawful point of sale) and check patient ID cards. Notably, companies have eyed Oklahoma for cannabis kiosks – e.g. one vendor announced plans for machines “coming soon” to OK dispensaries . Recreational use is not legal in Oklahoma (beyond medical), so any vending is limited to the medical context.

Oregon – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Allowed (with restrictions). Oregon’s OLCC rules do not outright mention “vending machines,” but any dispensing device must comply with the requirement that minors cannot access it. Oregon specifically notes that any vending of inhalable products must be on premises where no one under 21 is allowed  (effectively, only inside adult-use retailers). In practice, a vending machine in Oregon would need to be inside a licensed cannabis shop, and those under 21 (for rec) or without a medical card cannot enter anyway. Thus, vending machines are effectively allowed on licensed premises, but not in public. All standard regulations (tracking, labeling, etc.) apply .

Pennsylvania – Rec: Illegal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Not allowed. Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana law requires all dispensation to be done by a pharmacist or pharmacy technician at the dispensary counter. Self-service is prohibited – dispensaries cannot use any device that allows patients to obtain products without an employee’s assistance  . (Many PA local ordinances also explicitly ban vending machines at dispensaries as an extra precaution .) No recreational cannabis is legal in PA as of 2025.

Rhode Island – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Allowed (no explicit ban). Rhode Island’s cannabis laws/regulations do not specifically address vending machines . As such, they are not expressly forbidden, meaning a licensed retailer could theoretically utilize one under the oversight of the state regulator. All sales would need to occur at licensed compassion centers or retail stores with normal ID checks and limits. There have been no reports of RI dispensaries using vending machines yet, but legally they could since there is “no current limitation” in the rules .

South Carolina – Rec: Illegal; Med: Illegal. Vending Machines: Illegal. South Carolina has no medical cannabis program (legislation pending) and no recreational legalization, so cannabis vending machines are not legal.

South Dakota – Rec: Illegal (voter-passed 2020 measure overturned); Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Not allowed. South Dakota’s medical cannabis program, which began in 2021, requires in-person sales at dispensaries to cardholders. There is no provision for vending machines in the rules, so they are not permitted. (Recreational cannabis briefly became legal via voter initiative, but that was nullified; as of 2025, only medical is legal, with no vending.)

Tennessee – Rec: Illegal; Med: Illegal. Vending Machines: Illegal. Tennessee has no medical or recreational cannabis laws (only very limited CBD allowance), so any marijuana vending would be illegal.

Texas – Rec: Illegal; Med: Limited (low-THC cannabis program). Vending Machines: Limited – hemp products only. Texas does not allow full-strength cannabis sales at all (only medical “low THC” cannabis oil via the Compassionate Use Program, and that is dispensed through specialty pharmacies). Cannabis vending machines in Texas are essentially limited to federally legal hemp-derived products (≤0.3% THC) . Indeed, one of the first AI-powered cannabis kiosks (the ZAR BOX in Carrollton, TX) dispenses compliant hemp/CBD products with age verification . Any vending machine in Texas cannot dispense marijuana (which is illegal), only hemp derivatives. Strict state rules apply to ensure even those products meet the 0.3% THC limit . (Texas explicitly bans any higher-THC product sales outside its narrow medical program.)

Utah – Rec: Illegal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Not allowed. Utah’s medical cannabis program is tightly controlled; patients purchase from licensed “Pharmacy Medical Cannabis” locations with pharmacists on site. No vending machines are allowed in this system – every sale involves a consultation and ID check by an employee. Recreational cannabis remains illegal in Utah.

Vermont – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Allowed (no explicit ban). Vermont’s cannabis regulations (governed by the Cannabis Control Board) do not specifically mention or forbid vending machines . Any such machine would have to operate under a licensed retailer’s control and follow all the usual protocols (age 21+ for rec, etc.). As Vermont’s adult-use market is relatively new (started 2022) and small, there have been no known vending machine deployments, but legally they are not prohibited as of 2025 .

Virginia – Rec: Legal to possess, not yet legal to sell; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Prohibited by law. When Virginia legalized simple possession of cannabis in 2021, they included strict limitations on future retail methods: cannabis vending machines, drive-throughs, and delivery services were all prohibited by statute . (Virginia has delayed opening any recreational retail stores, but these bans are in place in the law.) Medical dispensaries in VA (limited and by appointment) also cannot use vending machines. So, Virginia is among the states explicitly forbidding vending machines for cannabis.

Washington – Rec: Legal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Prohibited by law. Washington State, despite being an early adopter of legal cannabis (and even home to the nation’s first cannabis vending machine back in 2015 as a pilot), expressly outlawed them in regulations soon after. Revised Code of WA §69.50.390 prohibits retailers from operating a cannabis vending machine for sales . All marijuana sales must involve a live budtender. Thus, no vending machines are permitted in Washington’s cannabis stores. (This ban is notable given WA’s early experiment – the law was clarified to shut that down .)

West Virginia – Rec: Illegal; Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Not allowed. West Virginia’s medical cannabis dispensaries (opened in 2021) must have pharmacists or trained employees dispensing products. The law does not allow any form of self-service; no vending machines. Recreational use is illegal in WV.

Wisconsin – Rec: Illegal; Med: Illegal. Vending Machines: Illegal. Wisconsin has no medical or recreational cannabis program (only limited CBD), so cannabis vending machines are not legal.

Wyoming – Rec: Illegal; Med: Illegal. Vending Machines: Illegal. Wyoming outlaws all forms of marijuana. No medical program exists (aside from CBD for epilepsy), so any cannabis vending machine would be illegal.

Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia) – Rec: Legal (possession/gifting only); Med: Legal. Vending Machines: Not allowed. DC permits adult possession and personal use of cannabis but, due to federal oversight, does not have a regulated retail market for recreational sales (only a grey-market “gifting” economy). Medical dispensaries operate under DC law, and they require in-person transactions by staff – no vending machines are authorized. Given the unique federal constraints in D.C., any automated sale of marijuana would be considered illegal.

State	Rec Status	Med Status	Vending Allowed?	Location Restrictions	ID Verification	Notes	Pending Legislation
Alabama	Illegal	Limited (CBD-only)	No	N/A	N/A	No cannabis vending due to lack of full program	None
Alaska	Legal	Legal	Yes	Dispensary-only	Yes	No explicit ban; vending allowed under standard rules	None
Arizona	Legal	Legal	No	N/A	N/A	Requires human agent for sales	None
Arkansas	Illegal	Legal	No	N/A	N/A	Dispensary staff required for sale	None
California	Legal	Legal	Yes	Dispensary-only	Yes	Permitted with ID & tracking in licensed locations	Local restrictions apply
Colorado	Legal	Legal	Yes	Dispensary-only	Yes	Explicitly allowed under regulated framework	None
Connecticut	Legal	Legal	Yes	Dispensary-only	Yes	No specific vending ban, must comply with regulations	None
Delaware	Legal	Legal	Yes	Dispensary-only	Yes	No explicit ban in regulations	None
Florida	Illegal	Legal	Yes (medical only)	MMTC-only	Yes	Strict compliance needed for MMTC machines	Potential for rec legalization pending
Georgia	Illegal	Limited (Low THC)	No	N/A	N/A	Sales only via certified personnel	None
Hawaii	Illegal	Legal	No	N/A	N/A	Manual patient verification required	None
Idaho	Illegal	Illegal	No	N/A	N/A	No cannabis program; vending prohibited	None
Illinois	Legal	Legal	No	N/A	N/A	State law bans vending machines in dispensaries	None
Indiana	Illegal	Illegal	No	N/A	N/A	Only CBD allowed; vending machines prohibited	None
Iowa	Illegal	Limited	No	N/A	N/A	Sales must be through certified dispensary staff	None
Kansas	Illegal	Illegal	No	N/A	N/A	No legalization; vending illegal	None
Kentucky	Illegal	Legal (2025 start)	No	N/A	N/A	Program launching, vending not allowed	Program in rollout phase
Louisiana	Illegal	Legal	No	Pharmacy-only	Yes	Pharmacist-only dispensing model	None
Maine	Legal	Legal	No	N/A	N/A	Vending machines explicitly banned by statute	None
Maryland	Legal	Legal	Yes	Dispensary-only	Yes	No vending prohibition; subject to standard rules	None
Massachusetts	Legal	Legal	No	N/A	N/A	All self-service machines banned	None
Michigan	Legal	Legal	Yes	Dispensary-only	Yes	Allowed without specific prohibition	None
Minnesota	Legal	Legal	No	N/A	N/A	Explicit ban in 2023 legislation	None
Mississippi	Illegal	Legal	No	N/A	N/A	Dispensary staff required	None
Missouri	Legal	Legal	Yes	Dispensary-only	Yes	Permitted by omission, regulated environment	None
Montana	Legal	Legal	No	N/A	N/A	Vending machines banned in cannabis rules	None
Nebraska	Illegal	Illegal	No	N/A	N/A	No legal cannabis; vending machines illegal	None
Nevada	Legal	Legal	No	N/A	N/A	Vending machines prohibited by law	None
New Hampshire	Illegal	Legal	No	N/A	N/A	Manual in-person dispensing only	None
New Jersey	Legal	Legal	Yes	Dispensary-only	Yes	Permitted without ban in commission rules	None
New Mexico	Legal	Legal	Yes	Dispensary-only	Yes	Vending allowed by omission	None
New York	Legal	Legal	No	N/A	N/A	Dispensing machines banned by statute	None
North Carolina	Illegal	Illegal	No	N/A	N/A	No cannabis program in place	Pending legislation 2025
North Dakota	Illegal	Legal	No	N/A	N/A	Staff-dispensed only per regulations	None
Ohio	Legal	Legal	No	N/A	N/A	Medical rules prohibit vending; rec under rulemaking	Rec vending rules TBD
Oklahoma	Illegal	Legal	Yes	Dispensary-only	Yes	Permitted under loosely regulated MMJ market	None
Oregon	Legal	Legal	Yes	Dispensary-only	Yes	Vending allowed with compliance to OLCC rules	None
Pennsylvania	Illegal	Legal	No	N/A	N/A	Medical law requires employee-dispensed sales	None
Rhode Island	Legal	Legal	Yes	Dispensary-only	Yes	No ban exists; vending theoretically allowed	None
South Carolina	Illegal	Illegal	No	N/A	N/A	No cannabis program in place	Pending MMJ bill 2025
South Dakota	Illegal	Legal	No	Dispensary-only	Yes	Manual ID check and dispensing required	None
Tennessee	Illegal	Illegal	No	N/A	N/A	Only limited CBD allowed, no vending	None
Texas	Illegal	Limited	Yes (Hemp only)	CBD/kiosk	Yes	Machines limited to hemp-derived sales	None
Utah	Illegal	Legal	No	Pharmacy-only	Yes	Medical cannabis must be dispensed by licensed staff	None
Vermont	Legal	Legal	Yes	Dispensary-only	Yes	No explicit ban; machines not yet deployed	None
Virginia	Legal (possession)	Legal	No	N/A	N/A	Vending machines explicitly banned	None
Washington	Legal	Legal	No	N/A	N/A	Dispensary vending machines prohibited by law	None
West Virginia	Illegal	Legal	No	Pharmacy-dispensary	Yes	Self-service prohibited	None
Wisconsin	Illegal	Illegal	No	N/A	N/A	No program in place	None
Wyoming	Illegal	Illegal	No	N/A	N/A	Vending not allowed, no cannabis laws	None
Washington D.C.	Legal	Legal	No	N/A	N/A	Dispensary machines not allowed due to federal oversight	None

Legend

• Legal: A law permitting cannabis use (and typically sales) is in effect.
• Illegal: No law permitting cannabis use (aside from federally compliant hemp products).
• Pending: The state has passed legalization, but implementation and regulations are still underway.

In all states that allow cannabis vending machines, use is typically restricted to licensed dispensaries or adult-only areas. Machines must follow all ID verification, tracking, and security requirements and cannot be publicly accessible to minors.

As the industry evolves, some states are piloting vending solutions for after-hours pickup or reduced wait times. However, many others maintain restrictions or outright bans to prevent unauthorized access. Key references include:

• •