Firearm mania in US! Vending machines akin to ATMs allow customers to buy bullets
American Rounds - the company that has developed the ammo dispenser
Firearm mania in the US has reached another peak with gun owners in three states now havingthe 'convenience' to buy bullets from vending machines in grocery shops.
Shops in the southern states of Alabama, Oklahoma and Texas allow customers to scan their ID on the ammo dispenser similar to a drink vending machine. After going through the plethora of options, the customer can walk away with rounds for their weapon.
American Rounds, the company which devised the ammo dispenser said its device uses Artificial Technology (AI) and that it is as easy to use as an ATM.
"Our smart retail automated ammo dispensers have built-in AI technology, card scanning capability and facial recognition software," the company said.
"Each piece of software works together to verify the buyer’s age and that the person using the machine matches the identification scanned."
The federal law in the US requiresa customer to be at least18 years old to purchase ammunition for long guns such as rifles and shotguns, and at least 21 for handgun bullets. American Rounds claims that itsidentity verification mechanism in the bullet vending machines is able to ensure that only eligible individuals are making the purchase.
The company says it will continue the rollout of the devices in states where hunting is popular, including Louisiana and Colorado.
A store inTuscaloosa, Alabama, however, removed the machine after its legality was questioned at a city council meeting. The legal department of the city confirmed that the machines were legal if they met proper zoning requirements.
Watch |US gun violence crisis: How easy is it to buy guns? | WION Wideangle
Rampant gun culture in the US
The US has long been associated with gun violence as mass shootings, especially in schools and colleges, have become a routine phenomenon, owing to the freedom to buy firearms.
According to a report by theNational Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM), over 42,000 people died as a result of gun injuries in the USin 2023. The report added that the number of people killed by firearm violence, a leading cause of premature death, grew by nearly 43 per centbetween 2010 and 2020.
"In 2023, 35 per cent of gun deaths were homicides, 56 per centwere suicides, nearly four per centwere unintentional shootings, three per cent were police shootings and less than two per cent were mass shootings," the report noted.
Recent months have seen a flurry of cases where young kids and adults have died by the use of firearms but the issue remains contentious at a higher level with both Democrats and Republicans taking a binary position.
(With inputs from agencies)