image:23993:2::0

The technology, proposed to be implanted in the on-street vending machines, utilizes a digital camera within the vendors which compares the facial features of the potential buyer by using a variety of key points:

"With face recognition, so long as you've got some change and you are an adult, you can buy cigarettes like before. The problem of minors borrowing (identification) cards to purchase cigarettes could be avoided as well."

Throughout the testing phase, the yet-to-be-approved system has had a success rate of approximately 90%, with the other 10% falling into a murky ground where minors appear older, or of-age have young features.

Although I agree with enforcing anti-smoking laws against minors, I just don't see this system being a viable option; particularly since the Japanese finance ministry has approved an age-ID smartcard and developed a system that can read the age from driver's licenses.

I don't see exactly how this will stop minors from obtaining cigarettes, either. The old adage is that you can take away all the means, but people will find a way to get what they want. The real campaign should be about anti-smoking education, and stricter laws that penalize companies that try to sell to minors. But, since smoking isn't illegal, once one hits 18 (or 20 in the case of Japan), they are technically allowed to do what they want. If they choose to smoke, who are we (the non-smokers) to tell them they can't? I suppose that the facial recognition system is supporting that way of thinking, but it still seems like it will ultimately be too costly to implement with too much chance for it to be unreliable.