In order to aid the restriction of sale of tobacco to minors, cigarette machines are regulated in many countries.

Japan edit

Since July 2008, in Japan machine companies could be prosecuted if tobacco is sold to anyone under 20 years old. To avoid such legal prosecution, Japan has introduced a government registered electronic smart card, called Taspo, that allows the user to purchase from the machines. To get a Taspo card, the purchaser must present their passport or ID to any government authorized business offering the service. The Fujitaka company is developing a technology that allows the vending machine to determine, using a digital camera and based on the facial wrinkles and sags of the potential buyer, whether the buyer is old enough to purchase cigarettes. The system compares facial characteristics including bone structure, sags, and crow’s feet against a record of more than 100,000 people. However if the user fails they can still use the machine with a Taspo card. 1

Tobacco vending machine prevalence by country edit Country/Territory Situation regarding cigarette vending machines Australia Sales prohibited to under 18s. Can only be located in liquor licensed and gaming venues, must display health warnings and cannot contain images of product only description and price on black and white label. Austria Sales prohibited to under 16s. Machines must attempt to verify a customer’s age by requiring the insertion of a debit card or mobile phone verification. Belgium Sales prohibited to under 16s. Machines need to be locked/unlocked by a responsible adult. Bulgaria None present Croatia Banned Cyprus Banned Czech Republic Sales prohibited to under 18s. Machines situated in bars and similar places only. Denmark Sales prohibited to under 18s. Machines generally situated in restaurants, bars and hotel lobbies. Age verification monitored by staff. England Ban came into force on 1 October 2011 2 Estonia Banned Finland Due to be banned on 1 January 2015 France Banned Georgia Banned Germany Sales prohibited to under 18s. Machines contain an electronic bank card/ID card reader to verify age of buyer. Greece Banned Guernsey A ban was approved on 1 July 2010, following an amendment to the existing tobacco advertising law. The exact date of implementation has yet to be decided. Hungary Banned in 2006 Iceland Banned Ireland Sales prohibited to under 18s. Restricted to licensed premises only since 1 July 2009. Vending machines are operated by a token or card obtained from the bar once the age of the buyer has been identified. Israel Ban came into force on 1 January 2014 Italy Sales prohibited to under 18s. Machines must contain an electronic device to verify age of buyer. Latvia Banned Lithuania Banned Luxembourg Sales prohibited to under 16s. Age has to be proven at the counter or bar before a token is issued so that the machine can be used. Malta Sales prohibited to under 16s. Netherlands Sales prohibited to under 16s. Token issued at counter once the purchasers age has been verified. New Zealand Sales prohibited to under 18s. Machines situated in bars and similar places only. From 10 December 2004, machines can only be operated by staff. Northern Ireland Ban came into force on 1 March 2012 Norway Sales prohibited to under 18s. Machines are token operated. Poland Banned Portugal Sales prohibited to under 18s. Machines must contain an electronic device to verify age of buyer. Romania Banned Slovakia Banned Slovenia Banned Spain Sales prohibited to under 18s. Scotland Ban came into force on 29 April 2013. Sweden Sales prohibited to under 18s. Switzerland Sales from machines are age restricted in 17 out of 26 cantons (11 cantons under 16 6 cantons under 18). The remaining cantons have no age limit. United States Only in facilities where people under 18 are not allowed 3 Ukraine Banned Wales Ban came into force on 1 February 2012 See also edit

• Clark Whittington, creator of the Art o mat, a project to convert disused cigarette machines into art vending machines
• Taspo, a Japanese system for age verification at cigarette machines
• Action on Smoking and Health

References edit

Howstuffworks “how electronic cigarettes work”

Oasis – cigarettes and alcohol – listen and discover music at last.fm

You’re at your favorite restaurant, enjoying a meal. A diner at the next table is puffing on a cigarette, letting out a cloud of smoke. Because smoking isn’t allowed in the restaurant, you’re thinking about asking the smoker to put the cigarette out. But before you protest, consider this Your neighbor may not be smoking at all.

Electronic cigarettes, also known as smokeless cigarettes, e cigarettes, or e cigs, are an alternative method of consuming nicotine, the addictive chemical found in tobacco. Manufacturers often design e cigarettes to look like regular cigarettes, but they contain no tobacco and don’t require a match or any flame at all.

An e cigarette is a battery powered device that converts liquid nicotine into a mist, or vapor, that the user inhales. There’s no fire, no ash and no smoky smell. E cigarettes do not contain all of the harmful chemicals associated with smoking tobacco cigarettes, such as carbon dioxide and tar.

Manufacturers and satisfied customers say the e cigarette is a healthier alternative to tobacco cigarettes, which cause millions of deaths every year. Some users say e cigs have helped reduce their “smoker’s cough,” sharpened their senses of taste and smell, and even improved their sleep.

The electronic cigarette was invented by Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik, who patented the device in 2003 and introduced it to the Chinese market the following year. Numerous companies are now selling e cigarettes to customers around the world. But as e cigarette smoking or “vaping” as it’s sometimes called has grown in popularity, some have concerns about its safety, including the possibility that the vapor created by the devices contains dangerous chemicals.

Is the electronic cigarette a cleaner, healthier choice for smokers? Or is it a dangerous device with hidden risks? Both viewpoints have their merits, but on the next page we’ll start with the basics how the product works, and why it’s popular.