( The Netherlands develops facial recognition technology to prevent minors from buying vapes)
Smokers in some parts of the Netherlands are having to have their faces scanned to verify their age before buying cigarettes.
Under Dutch law, tobacco shops are required to verify the identity of customers to ensure they are at least 18 years old. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in a fine of up to €9,000 or the temporary suspension of their tobacco licence. To this end, around 100 shops, including five gas stations in the Hague region, have implemented facial scanning technology.
Using artificial intelligence, the facial recognition camera analyzes the buyer’s facial features, including skin condition and wrinkles, to estimate their age. If the individual is over 25, the transaction will proceed. However, if there is uncertainty about the buyer’s age, the machine will prompt them to present identification.
According to Snijders, CEO of the company behind the scanning technology, H@nd, the process is similar to airport security measures. Legal guidelines governing the scanning process have been drawn up in collaboration with product safety organization NVWA, privacy watchdogs and legal experts, to protect shoppers' personal data.
Importantly, the scanner does not retain any personal data and only records the number of scans performed. Meanwhile, it has been stressed that the use of facial scanning is not mandatory to buy cigarettes, as it would violate privacy laws. Many therefore find it pointless, as anyone underage buying cigarettes can choose not to have their face scanned.
Opinions about the scanning process also varied among adult smokers. Some individuals expressed a willingness to undergo scanning if it would help enforce age restrictions. Others expressed concerns about data privacy and the time-consuming nature of the process, suggesting that many smokers would not use the technology.
Are the Netherlands' tobacco control efforts justified?
In recent years, the Netherlands has been aggressively implementing various tobacco control measures . As of this July, tobacco products will only be available for purchase in specialty stores and gas stations. While in February 2022 the European Court of Justice approved the official ISO EU test, which measures the amount of tar, nicotine and other chemicals released from smoking, some local anti-tobacco agencies have asked local judges in Rotterdam to ban the technology.
The ban was introduced in response to tests by the Dutch public health institute RIVM, which showed that when the tiny holes in cigarette filters were obstructed by smoking, the amount of tar could be 26 times higher than the official standard. Sadly, the official EU ISO test did not detect these holes, so its effectiveness remains questionable.
Unfortunately, harsh restrictions have also been placed on the safer nicotine alternatives that many smokers will turn to in order to quit. In January 2022, the Netherlands banned the display of tobacco products both online and in retail stores. The extension of the display ban , which initially applied to tobacco products in supermarkets from 1 July 2020, now includes retail stores and online retailers. Much to the dismay of tobacco harm reduction experts, the ban has been amended to include vaping products, heated tobacco products and herbal products for smoking.
Furthermore, earlier this year, the Netherlands announced plans to ban nicotine pouches. It then unveiled proposals to extend its current tobacco regulations regarding consumption to alternative nicotine products, so that their use would be banned in places where smoking is prohibited.
Restrictions on new nicotine products do not help the situation
Meanwhile, a large 2022 survey of 2,981 Dutch vapers, conducted by consumer organization Acvoda and trade association Esigbond, found that the majority would smoke if it weren't for vaping.
The aggregated data showed that smokers had, on average, stopped smoking 5.1 times before switching to e-cigarettes, and 63% of vapers reported switching because they wanted a less harmful alternative to smoking, while 54% did so in an effort to quit smoking. A further 46% said they believed they would not have been able to quit without the help of e-cigarettes, and 81% noted that the availability of flavors played a role in encouraging them to switch. Importantly, nine in ten vapers reported seeing health improvements after switching from smoking to vaping.
Dutch Facial Scanning Technology Aims to Prevent Vape Sales to Minors - Vaping Post
