Medbox's Marijuana Dispensing System Assists Operators in Complying with Federal Government's New Canna-Business Guidelines

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Sept. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Medbox, Inc. (OTC Markets: MDBX) (www.medboxinc.com), a leader in providing consulting services and patented systems to the medical and retail industries, announced that their patented software and hardware system provides dispensaries and regulatory agencies with comprehensive means to meet the priorities spelled out by the US Department of Justice in the August 29 memo to United States Attorneys titled, "Guidance Regarding Marijuana Enforcement."

Under the new guidelines, the Justice Department will not challenge state laws and prosecutors may not bring cases against individual users unless they violate a list of eight new federal enforcement priorities.

Those guidelines align with the Medbox system's strengths and capabilities, Dr. Bruce Bedrick, CEO of Medbox, Inc. noted. "We understood early on that the key to our company's success was in developing and building a system that would demonstrate that legal marijuana could be dispensed in a responsible, transparent, and fully compliant manner," Bedrick stated. "Moreover, our entire business model was built upon providing the industry with systems and tools that would help uphold laws, aid regulators, and promote compliance."

The US Department of Justice memo noted the areas that are particularly important to the federal government. Among them are:

• Preventing the distribution of marijuana to minors
• Preventing revenue from the sale of marijuana from going to drug cartels and gangs
• Preventing the diversion of marijuana from one state to another
• Preventing marijuana activity to act as a cover for other illegal drug activities

"The Medbox system assures adherence to these guidelines," Dr. Bedrick stated. "With our patented biometric fingerprint recognition and identification system, our system does not allow sales to anyone underage, and in the states with a medical marijuana program our system does not allow dispensing to anyone without a current and legal state authorization to use the drug. Our technology also limits the amount dispensed per state regulations, so no one can obtain more marijuana than what is legally allowed," he added. "Our system also tracks and creates a permanent record of each transaction, so illicit activity is mitigated, and taxation and reporting is automated and transparent."

The Justice Department memo is seen as a sweeping directive and major breakthrough toward the decriminalization of marijuana use.

"This is one of the most significant milestones in the movement toward ending marijuana prohibition in this country," said Mason Tvert, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project. "The federal government for the first time ever has sent a clear signal to states that they can adopt their own marijuana policies if they do them in a responsible manner."

Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, simply stated, "This is politically and historically significant.''

Although the directive issued by the U.S. Attorney General's office will apply nationwide, it will largely affect the 20 states and the District of Columbia that allow for medical marijuana use, and Colorado and Washington where state laws allow recreational use by adults.

"As more states continue to move forward with legislation that allows for medicinal or recreational use of marijuana, Medbox stands ready as a proactive partner, by providing systems and consulting services that assure compliance with all regulations, including the new priorities as set forth by the Justice Department," Dr. Bedrick stated. "In doing so, we not only help build value for our company and shareholders, but we raise the entire industry to a higher standard."

To read the Justice Department memo in full, visit: http://www.thedispensingsolution.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Cole_Memo_2013.pdf

For more information on Medbox, please visit www.medboxinc.com. 

About Medbox, Inc.: 
Medbox is a leader in the development, sales and service of automated, biometrically controlled dispensing and storage systems for medicine and merchandise. Medbox has offices throughout the world, including New York, Arizona, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Tokyo, London and Toronto, and has their corporate headquarters in Los Angeles.

Medbox provides their patented systems, software and consulting services to pharmacies, dispensaries, urgent care centers, drug rehab clinics, hospitals, prison systems, hospice facilities, and medical groups worldwide.

Medbox, Inc. is a publicly traded company, and is quoted on the OTC Markets, ticker symbol MDBX.

For more information on Medbox, please contact the Medbox Investor Relations Department at (800) 762-1452 or go online to www.medboxinc.com.

SOURCE Medbox, Inc.