Taspo RFID Card For Cigarette Vending Machines

Big news for underage smokers: You won't be able to buy cigarettes on the streets anymore.  A new system, called "Taspo" (Tabacco Passport), goes into effect in 2008, requiring every smoker to carry around an RFID card issued only to people 18 and over if they want to make a cigarette vending machine purchase. Cards will be issued for free (plus whatever amount of money you put on it), but purchase will require a photo ID and other identification documents.

Currently, 65% of the 30 million smokers in Japan purchase their cigarettes through vending machines, so this is a big step in the Tobacco Institute of Japan's initiative to raise awareness on the dangers of smoking.