Cigarette machine

Many modern cigarette machines require customers to swipe an identification card to prevent persons under the legal smoking age from purchasing tobacco.

Because of their potential for misuse by underage persons, many jurisdictions restrict where cigarette machines can be located or prohibit them altogether.

Since July 2008, companies may face prosecution if found selling tobacco to anyone under the legal age, 20 years old.

[1] To avoid this, Japan has introduced a government registered electronic smart card, called Taspo, that allows the user to purchase from the machines.

The system compares facial characteristics including bone structure, sags, and crow's feet against a record of more than 100,000 people.