Medical cannabis dispensaries may seem little different from liquor stores or pharmacies, but because they often exist in a legal gray area, they may need the sort of security measures–like ballistic pass-thru drawers and windows–more familiar to banks than beer depots.
TARGETING TRANSACTION DRAWERS AND WINDOWS
Because of their nebulous legal status, dispensaries can have tremendous difficulty securing normal business services, like small business loans and financing. They likewise often feel motivated to keep authorities at arms length. This makes them a perfect target for armed bandits, who feel confident that a successful heist will snag not just cash, but also potent marijuana with a high street value. As an added liability, since most dispensaries lock their stock and cash in a sturdy safe overnight, business-hour robberies are often more tempting than overnight burglaries.
As this video illustrates, the transaction window–either in the reception area, or where medical marijuana is actually dispensed to patients–is a key target for criminals:
PASS-THRU DRAWERS ARE VITAL TO RETAIL SECURITY
The logical reaction to this is something like Seattle-area “CannaPi,” which is almost certainly the most security-conscious medical marijuana dispensary you’ll ever encounter. Their $80,000 installation doesn’t just include security cameras and alarms, but a system of ballistic “safe rooms” connected by pass-thru drawers. CannaPi’s proprietors even took the additional precaution of outfitting the publicly facing pass-thru drawers with tinted exterior ballistic glass, to give their workers full visibility while protecting their physical safety and identities.
DETERRENCE VIA PASS-THRU DRAWER
Medical cannabis dispensaries are a perfect example of the strong deterrent properties of a ballistic security system. As Total Security Solutions vice president Jim Richards often points out, armed robbers are rarely targeting a specific place of business. Instead, they are looking for items of value (such as cash, or easily fenced jewelry, electronics, prescription drugs, etc.) and easy targets to victimize. In a crowded field–like the new, diverse, and largely disorganized dispensary industry–even a tiny deterrent, like a single transaction window with a pass-thru drawer, will have bandits looking for a different target. You don’t need $30,000 in ballistic glass to have complete ballistic security.
NEXT STEPS
- Download our Ultimate Guide to Bulletproof Glass infographic
- Download our Bulletproof Glass FAQ
- Join our Mailing List
