Cresco Labs

In 2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control, there was a 10 percent national increase in overdose deaths due to opioids. In Illinois, the increase was even higher, at more than 13 percent. As such, for many years, medical marijuana advocates have argued that pot is a safer alternative to opioids when it comes to pain management and should be considered as part of the solution in stemming the deadly epidemic. To that end, a vending machine recently made its way through Chicago to dispense not a new kind of prescription, but educational notes in praise of marijuana. Designed by Echelon Design in partnership with Chicago-based agency Tom, Dick & Harry Creative Co., the pop-up was activated to help medical cannabis company Cresco Labs spread awareness of its Opioid Prescription Exchange program (COPE), which encourages patients to consider marijuana over opioid prescriptions when it comes to managing pain. Instead of dispensing the faux prescriptions, the pop-up gave out medical cannabis bottles (sans marijuana) that each contained a note about COPE (below). In addition to the vending machine, the activation included a 20-foot-long “NoBituaries” board that featured the stories of people who have fought and won the opioid battle by turning to medical marijuana.