40 Everyday Items People Can’t Own Due To Strange Local Laws In Certain Regions

"Just one pet guinea pig. It's mandatory to have at least two so they don't get lonely."

Damjan

• Published in Weird
• October 29, 2024

Laws serve as the framework for keeping society together by outlining what is necessary to ensure safety and order. Above all, laws prevent injuries, ensure road safety, and protect public health.

However, not all legislation appears to be clear-cut or reasonable. Legal systems may impose arbitrary constraints, raising the question of how these decisions were made.

Some regulations appear perplexing, as if they stem from antiquated beliefs or misplaced concerns, whilst others represent unique societal requirements. A Reddit thread provided a list of oddly prohibited objects worldwide, shedding light on some strange restrictions and unexpected products restricted in certain countries.

Rather than being justified by clear public safety concerns, these prohibitions are typically the product of historical anomalies, cultural prejudices, or specialized government judgments. This assortment of bizarre bans, varying from harmless common goods to activities you'd never consider prohibiting, demonstrates international legal frameworks' complexities and occasional contradictions.

The Reddit comments show how specific restrictions may become self-sustaining, illustrating that everyday things can be banned for seemingly nonsensical reasons. These unusual cases highlight the unexpected paths that legal systems can take, sometimes failing to accomplish the aims of safety and order.

Some unexpected restrictions have been uncovered, suggesting how laws might occasionally influence our lives.

Does it always make sense?

US: Brass knuckles.

"Guns are fine. Knives are fine. But Brass knuckles? Yeah that’s too far."

Swiss law.

"Just one pet guinea pig. It's mandatory to have at least two so they don't get lonely."

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."

"India: A TikTok account."

Pet rats.

"Alberta is one of the few places that is rat-free and they want to keep it that way."

"Chewing gum in Singapore."

Indiana law.

"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."

Germany law.

"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."

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."

Rabbits.

'It's illegal to own rabbits in my state in Australia, unless you're a registered magician or own a petting zoo type show."

Scotland law.

"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!!"

"Kinder eggs with the toy inside. Illegal in all of US."

New Mexico, USA law.

"A copy of the original Romeo and Juliet. [Because of] suggestive language. 400 words got changed for school copies. "

New Zealand law.

"UAE: Poppy seeds. I miss them on my bagels."

"In Venezuela, it's illegal to own anything with camo print on it."

South Africa law.

"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."

China law.

Portugal law.

"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."

Cuban cigars.

Laser pointe.

"E -Vapes though they sell cigarettes. I live in India."

The feathers of most native migratory birds.

Slingshot in Germany.

Western Australia law.

Ireland law.

Texas law.

"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..."

Switchblades.

"Walkie Talkies are illegal in Egypt."

Bear spray.

California law.

Home distillation.

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."

Uganda law.

Switzerland law.

California and Massachusetts, US law.

Brazil law.

"Your own sugar. It's a crime to make sugar in Brazil."

A gorilla pet.

Ukraine law.

A knife in a lunch box.

These examples show that laws aren’t always clear-cut or make sense everywhere. What’s banned in one place might be acceptable elsewhere, often because of different histories, safety reasons, or cultural beliefs.

Each rule reflects what’s important to the people who made it. Some bans may seem odd, but they give us a glimpse into their unique reasons.

Legal systems are essential for keeping order, but they’re imperfect and change over time as society changes. Laws can be quirky, practical, or even confusing, but they reveal much about how different cultures see “order” and the effort they put into keeping it.

Damjan