
Smoking is widespread in Japan, with 50% of men lighting up along with 15% of women.
The under-smoking-age Japanese folks will have a hard time buying cigarettes on vending machines starting on 8th of March this year, until this point, there weren’t restrictions to buy the smokes but there is a new system being implemented that requires a special I.D. Card for anyone that wants to buy cigs – it’s called the Taspo card.
In other countries there are different security systems, like if the tobacco vending machine is inside a store/cafe, it must be locked at all the times and the owner has a remote control to unlock it. At least that is the case where I live, but most people don’t follow this law/rule.
[via PlasticBamboo]





2 responses
Apr 23, 2008 at 12:00 pm
And its so not-friendly to visitors. Only Japanese residents over 20 are able to apply for the card.
So I reckon 7-Eleven, Lawson or other convenience stores are the only major retail channels for visiting smokers now…
Apr 27, 2008 at 8:43 am
i would like to have a taspo card
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