Does Coca-Cola have a corporate policy against putting Coke machines in medical marijuana dispensaries? Does Coca-Cola have a corporate policy against putting Coke machines in medical marijuana dispensaries?

That's the message delivered to award-winning Altitude Wellness Center a few days ago. But after AWC decided to go public with the rejection, Coca-Cola has backed down, with a representative pledging to apologize.

Here's the story, shared with us by AWC owner Roger and his daughter, Melissa, who works there. Both of them ask that their last name not be used.

According to Melissa, an AWC rep put in a call to the local Coca-Cola distributor shortly after opening about a year and a half ago and requested a cooler to place in the business. Every month since then, the owners have paid between $200 and $300 for Coke to place in the cooler for giveaway to customers. More recently, however, they decided to swap out the cooler for a coin-and-bill-operated machine. With that in mind, Melissa sent the local Coca-Cola territory development manager the following e-mail on March 11:

We are currently doing business with you and we have a cooler for our coke products. We are thinking about changing to a machine that you have to put money in -- instead of helping yourself like we do today. Do you have that kind of dispensing unit available and if so can you give me prices?

Thank you

On March 14, the manager replied with the following note:

Hi Melissa,

Unfortunately, Coca-Cola has made an internal decision not to place equipment at Marijuana dispensaries. Although, you already have a piece of our equipment I am not able process a work order for a new machine. I do apologize for that. If you would like me schedule a pickup of the cooler please let me know. Thank you.