Reduced effectiveness of the age verification card system for discouraging tobacco purchase by minors in Japan

Background: In order to control the purchase of tobacco by minors from vending machines in Japan, an age verification card system (TASPO) was introduced in 2008. Objective: We investigated serial changes in the amount of tobacco purchased to determine the effectiveness of the age verification card system after performing a nationwide survey of smoking among junior and senior high school students in Japan. Methods: This survey was conducted in 2008 and 2010. We asked 98,867 junior and senior high school students, aged 13-18 years, in Japan about their smoking behavior, where they purchased cigarettes, whether they had used age verification cards, and if so, how they obtained them. Results: Comparison of the results of the 2008 and 2010 surveys indicated that the number of adolescents who bought cigarettes by unlawful use of age verification cards was on the increase. They obtained age verification cards by the following means: (1) taking one that belonged to a senior family member, (2) borrowing one from a family member, (3) borrowing one from someone other than a family member, and (4) obtaining one through the usual application procedure, of which the most-used means was (3). All of these methods were used more often in 2010 than in 2008. Conclusions: It is suggested that the age verification card system in Japan is becoming less effective at inhibiting the purchase of tobacco by minors.