Laws are necessary for civilization to survive and thrive, but in some cases, they don’t always make a lot of logical sense. Just because something is legal doesn’t automatically make it morally or socially good. Nor does banning something instantly mean that it’s bad. There are some truly bizarre moments when common sense goes out the window.
One internet user sparked an interesting conversation on r/AskReddit after asking folks about what things are, weirdly enough, illegal to own in their home country. Scroll down for their answers and a quick peek into how every legal system has at least a few flaws.
#1
Swiss law : just one pet guinea pig. It’s mandatory to have at least two so they don’t get lonely.
#2
Native animals. You’re not allowed to keep native animals in Australia without a special licence, but I live rurally & pretty much everyone I know has at least one native animal that they rescued as a baby & fed & it just never f****d off once it grew up, so they have a kangaroo or a bunch of magpies or a wombat just tooling around their property like it owns the place.
Technically they could get into pretty major trouble (fines & jail time) but it’s generally overlooked if you’re not selling them.
Image source: OldTiredAnnoyed, Photo By: Kaboompics.com
#3
US: Brass knuckles. Guns are fine. Knives are fine. But Brass knuckles? Yeah that’s too far.
Image source: stunspelledbackwards, MAURO CATEB
#4
Pet rats.
Alberta is one of the few places that is rat-free and they want to keep it that way.
Image source: moronomer, Clique Images
#5
India: A tiktok account.
Image source: daftpunkD3, Nik
#6
Chewing gum in Singapore.
Image source: IllTreacle7682, Yaroslav Shuraev
#7
I’m in the USA (Indiana to be exact) and throwing stars were illegal until around a year ago. Open carry is fine, but none of that ninja business.
Image source: BigBiggity, Rick Tew’s NinjaGym™ Martial Arts
#8
A warning system for your car to give you a heads up for speed controls.
You are allowed to buy it, but you’re not allowed to use it.
Before the legalisation of cannabis you were allowed to buy seeds.
On each pack was a sticker stating, “You are, by law, not allowed to put the contents in soil and water it.”
Germany.
Image source: donkey_loves_dragons, Tim Gouw
#9
Telescope 🔭 [Jordan]
Edit: if you are part of the Jordanian Astronomy association, you can get a permit to import one, otherwise it’s forbidden to prevent people from spying.
Image source: Low_Code_5522, freepik
#10
It’s illegal to own rabbits in my state in Australia, unless you’re a registered magician or own a petting zoo type show.
Image source: Chiweeny, Satyabrata sm
#11
Buying knives if you’re under 18 in Scotland.
Sounds legit and reasonable, except that you can vote, get married, have babies and leave home when you’re 16.
Had to “break the law” to buy someone some kitchen knives and scissors last week because they couldn’t cook anything without them!!
Image source: badmother, Blend Archive
#12
Kinder eggs with the toy inside. Illegal in all of US.
Image source: Environmental-Low792, Jens Rost
#13
A copy of the original Romeo and Juliet. [Because of] suggestive language. 400 words got changed for school copies. New Mexico, USA
Image source: r1niceboy, Sema Nur
#14
New Zealand: A snake. Always wanted a pet snake, but we dont even have them in the zoo they are so unallowed lol.
Image source: Feisty-Bluebird-5277
#15
UAE: Poppy seeds. I miss them on my bagels.
Image source: buddhaliao, cottonbro studio
#16
In Venezuela it’s illegal to own anything with camo print on it.
Image source: dickburpsdaily, Anika Huizinga
#17
To be in possession of an unpolished diamond in South Africa. Even if you pick it up on the beach.. punishment: 10 years in prison.
Image source: Sea-Associate-4060, Dillon Wanner
#18
VPN subscription in China. Actually ownership is not illegal, usage is.
Image source: Leaper229
#19
Cuban cigars. I live in the US, up on Lake Erie. Plenty of people I know have gone to Canada and snagged some Cuban cigars to bring back just to say they did.
This is technically a violation of the Trading With the Enemy Act and punishable by up to $50k in fines per cigar, but it’s not generally enforced unless customs think you’re bringing them back to sell.
IMO they’re not that great. Certainly not bad, but not worth the hype they get. Dominican cigars have majorly passed them in quality.
Image source: MrLanesLament
#20
Any laser pointer that isn’t weaker than a single LED. Here in Australia, it used to be less than 5 milliwatts, then they changed it to less than 1 milliwatt. The laser pointers that can burn things are usually 1.5 watts or more.
Image source: Shinaebob
#21
Portugal: Dashcams, police bodycams, etc, here if people didnt have privacy while breaking the law then the court will make the victim pay for the privacy damages to the law breaker and end the case there.
edit: we have some public streets with (goverment) cameras recording 24/7.
Image source: telmoxt, Xingye Jiang
#22
The feathers of most native migratory birds are illegal to own in the US. Having a hawk feather, or blue jay feather? Illegal, because of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. (Nobody is banging down doors about a kid picking up a feather, though.).
Image source: birdiestp
#23
E -Vapes though they sell cigarettes. I live in India.
Image source: No_Bus_9094, mohamad hajizade
#24
Slingshot in Germany.
Back in my day we carved our own. Apparently we were real criminal.
Image source: Lexinoz
#25
In one state (Western Australia), it is illegal to sell, purchase, take delivery of or deliver more than 50 kgs of potatoes at once. Not sure if this is ever enforced but yeah.
Image source: StrazzaDazza
#26
In Ireland it’s illegal to sell and use metal detectors without written consent from the government.
Image source: ocriochain
#27
Texas, US: 2 IDs , even if the both have the exact same information, photos , names , ID number , hight , eye colour , everything
If your ID gets lost and you get a new one , and somehow find your old one. You are breaking the law…
Image source: Swartie2233, Kindel Media
#28
Switchblades are illegal in a lot of states. You can have pocket knives, you can have long bladed knives, you can have knives you can open with one hand. You can also have guns.
But switchblades are illegal in a lot of places.
Image source: 2060ASI
#29
Walkie Talkies are illegal in Egypt.
Image source: Spirit-Subject, cottonbro studio
#30
California, US: Ferrets, as pets.
Image source: TuckerDidIt
#31
Bear spray. We have bears in Canada.
Image source: BackFromTheDeadSoon
#32
A home distillation setup in the UK.
Image source: thoawaydatrash
#33
Suppressors/moderators/silencers. Not even for airguns.
I bought an airgun about a year ago. Then I designed and 3D printed a suppressor for it, figuring it would effectively lengthen the barrel a bit for increased accuracy, and it might reduce the report, even if only slightly.
I shared a picture of the finished print on social media and had a bunch of friends immediately comment that I should delete the picture and destroy the print ASAP. I did and then researched it… sure enough owning or possessing a suppressor is illegal (in Canada).
I think someone in politics has watched a few too many action movies and has no real concept of how effective suppressors are.
Image source: FullNoodleFrontity, Tima Miroshnichenko
#34
Uganda is illegal to own a parrot.
Image source: SinsOfTheBeserker
#35
Changing the bulbs in your car/bike with the same ones with leds. But driving without lights is also illegal. So on my old bike i eather drive illegally with out lights and get run over, ir i drive it with lights but without permission, and could loose my lisence and face +500 in fines…
Wtf switzerland.
Image source: The_lone_Nomad
#36
California and Massachusetts, US: Stuff like nunchucks. You can have pretend foam ones but you can’t have real ones. Like just let me spin s**t around in my backyard.
Image source: TentacleJesus
#37
Sadly I can’t have a pet gorilla in the uk.
Image source: Strict-Airline3614
#38
Your own sugar
It’s a crime to make sugar in Brazil.
Image source: vini_club_ofc, D MO
#39
Its illegal to have a knife in your lunch box with sandwiches and walk on public.
Just if you want to peel a tomato or a cucumber you can end up in jail.
Country, UK.
Image source: thisoilguy
#40
Dual citizenship in Ukraine.
Image source: kek-tigra
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