Cigarette machine

A cigarette vending machine in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

A cigarette machine is a vending machine that takes cash in payment for packets of cigarettes. Vending machines often dispense packs containing 16 or 18 cigarettes, although the dimensions of the packaging are the same as the equivalent pack containing 20.

Bans and restrictions

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

Japan

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

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	Due to be banned 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

• 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

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cigarette machine.

• Cigarette vending machines ash.org.uk
• Bundesverband Deutscher Tabakwaren-Großhändler und Automatenaufsteller (German)
• Kunstprojekt: Alle Zigarettenautomaten in Biberach/Riß (German)

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