[adrianmsmith]

A bit of history to this - previously there were just machines, you put in cash and get cigarettes - but then it was decided this made it too easy for underage people to buy cigarettes so now you have to use a bank card (I think?) for identification, so young people just hang around the machines and ask a passerby to lend them their card.

[jaclaz]

Here in Italy you need to use your Codice Fiscale or Carta d'Identità cards (both official documents) as (debit) cards (pre-paid or connected to some bank account) can be obtained as early as 13 or so (of course authorized by parents).