Japanese schoolkids need a 'taspo' to buy cigarettes
- added April 15, 2008
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- mattbrawn
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Even though Japan has a legal smoking age of 20, schoolchildren in need of a nicotine fix have always had an easy option, vending machines.
But now the Japanese authorities have come up with a nifty way to ensure no underage smokers can get their nicotine fix from cigarette vending machines, by issuing a "taspo" (short for "tobacco passport") age-verification cards, which must be scanned at newly installed smart vending machines before a purchase can be made.
The integrated circuit-embedded cards can also act as an electronic money function that lets customers buy stuff with one easy swipe.
But now the Japanese authorities have come up with a nifty way to ensure no underage smokers can get their nicotine fix from cigarette vending machines, by issuing a "taspo" (short for "tobacco passport") age-verification cards, which must be scanned at newly installed smart vending machines before a purchase can be made.
The integrated circuit-embedded cards can also act as an electronic money function that lets customers buy stuff with one easy swipe.
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