Florida To Allow Alcoholic Vending Machines?
Don’t check your calendar. It’s not April 1 yet. I had to do a double take too.
There was apparently a ruling today in the Florida courts to clear the way for vending machines that, yes, SELL ALCOHOL, according to Tallahassee Democrat reporter Jim Rosica. This seems crazy to me, but the more I read the ruling from the Florida First District Court of Appeal, it seems to be legit. Read the ruling yourself here. I’m still sifting through it as we speak. They appear to have overruled a previous decision from 2017 that banned alcohol being sold in vending machines.
According to the document, the company behind this, LGM (La Galere Markets) has automated stores in places like residential buildings. Instead of having employees, they sell things like food, household products and personal care items via vending machines. They also want to expand their selection to sell alcoholic beverages like beer and wine. They say they have 3 layers of security: only people who are in the building can enter the store, a key fob would be needed to enter, and there is some kind of age verification with a valid government ID. Your fingerprint would verify it’s you making the purchase and they have 24 hour video surveillance.
BIG BOOZE NEWS:@1dca_flcourts panel reverses @FloridaDBPR, says alcoholic beverages can be sold via vending machines in Florida. #FlaPol
— Jim Rosica (@JimRosicaFL) January 31, 2020
I have many questions. Obviously these can’t be anywhere near kids. How do you verify someone is 21 and not just holding another’s ID? Are they only placed in secured locations where you had to show ID to get in, like a bar or club? And finally, how do we make this happen next? I spotted this when I traveled to London last year.
Apparently this idea isn’t entirely new!
No kidding! Wow. Been here 8 years and have never seen this. Was it a common area of the hotel where kids could get at it?
— Geno from Q105 (@GenoRadio) January 31, 2020
