Japan introduces cards for cigarettes purchase
Since 2008 in Japan people will be able to buy cigarettes in the vending machines only having special card with the coded age of the owner.
The decision to introduce such restrictions was taken by the Japanese Association of trading vending machines manufacturers, Association of tobacco products manufacturers and a number of other organizations representing the tobacco industry in Japan.
It is planned to equip all vending machines with the reading device by July, 2008. Only this way Japanese will be able to buy cigarettes.
These measures are going to restrict youth access to cigarettes, while now they can buy it everywhere, in any building with trading vending machine. According to the official data, about 83 % of the Japanese young men – pupils buy cigarettes through vending machines.
The number of such automatic devices in the end of 2006 was 565 200.
Since 2004 some restrictions were introduced: street vending machines are turned off from eleven in the evening till five mornings. However it does not influence the situation.