Vending machines offering bullets in US grocery stores
According to the American Rounds, the developers of the ammo dispensers, their machine has AI technology and it is as simple to use as an ATM.
The firearms have been normalized in the USA as the vending machines in the grocery stores are selling bullets. The stores in three Southern states of Alabama, Oklahoma, and Texas have installed vending machines that allow the customers to scan their ID on the ammo dispenser and with a few clicks of a finger, the customers can get the desired ammunition.
According to the American Rounds, the developers of the ammo dispensers, their machine has AI technology and it is as simple to use as an ATM.
Identity Verification Vending machines
“Our smart retail automated ammo dispensers have built-in AI technology, card scanning capability and facial recognition software,” the company stated “Each piece of software works together to verify the buyer’s age and that the person using the machine matches the identification scanned.”
As per federal law in the US, the minimum age to buy ammunition for long guns like rifles and shotguns is 18 years, and that for handgun bullets is 21 years.
The company has claimed that its vending machines have an identity verification mechanism that ensures that only the eligible individual is purchasing.
The company has also confirmed that it will soon introduce the machine in the popular hunting states of Louisiana and Colorado.
However, a store in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, withdrew the machine following some scrutiny over its legality at a city council meeting. The legal department of the city clarified that the machines were permissible as long as they fulfilled the proper zoning regulations.
Tuscaloosa Police Chief Brent Blankley stated that “the vending machines are legal and approved by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.”
The USA has a long history of being associated with Firearm usage. The country has normalized the use of guns and as a result of it, thousands of people die every year due to firearm injuries and homicides. The National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) report claims that more than 42,000 people lost their lives due to firearm injuries in the US last year.
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