Five strange laws from around the world

10 February 2023

Each new law is tailored to the needs of the society and its citizens. Most laws that are created are a reflection of the moral standards and ethical values of a particular society. As a result, some laws that are created for a particular society may appear to others to be difficult to understand but remain a priority to the community for which they were created. Most unique laws that fall into this category appear strange or humorous to the outside world as time passes, even though the owners of these laws hold them in high regard. These types of laws exist all over the world; below are some of them.

(1) You cannot handle salmon In suspicious circumstances in the United Kingdom

The first on our list is The Salmon Act 1986. It is an English law that primarily deals with the licensing and regulation of salmon dealing in Scotland, England, and Wales. The heading of section 32 of the Act “Handling Salmon in Suspicious Circumstances” Is what makes the law strange. Because of the broad and ambiguous wording of the section, people have often jokingly remarked that section 32 of the Act also prohibits a person from simply carrying or toting their fresh salmon casually by hand on the streets. When in fact the section was developed to make it an offense in England and Wales “for any person who receives or disposes of any salmon in circumstances where they believe, or could reasonably believe, that the salmon has been illegally fished.”

(2) You cannot pay with too many coins in Canada

It is very easy for an individual to accumulate most of his spare change in coins throughout the years. However, getting rid of it in a country like Canada is something that must be well thought out. A limitation has been placed on the number of acceptable coins that can be used per transaction. Section 8 (2) of The Currency Act 1985 places a limit on how many coins may be used in one transaction. If, for any reason, you are in Canada and wish to spend all your accumulated change, you have to think wisely while you transact.

(3) It's Illegal to Chew Gum in Singapore

Chewing gum and blowing gum bubbles might be seen as a fun and harmless activity that people do anywhere and anytime for the sake of it. Well, the Singapore government isn’t in support of this harmless act. Section 3 of the country’s regulation titled Imports and Exports (Chewing Gum) Regulations 1999, states that “Except as provided in regulation 3A, the importation into Singapore of any chewing gum is prohibited”. The chewing gum ban was implemented to eradicate problems created by chewing-gum litter in public places like cinemas, parks, and common areas of housing estates such as lifts, staircases, and corridors, as well as the high costs involved in cleaning up the litter. If one is visiting Singapore as a tourist or for business, it is important to remember that chewing gum isn’t allowed.

(4) It’s against the law to disrupt a wedding or funeral in south of Australia

Under the Summary Offences Act 1953, section 7A (1) (a) (ii), any person who intentionally obstructs or disturbs a wedding ceremony or funeral, whether secular or religious, is said to be guilty of an offense and could face a maximum penalty of a whopping $10,000 or two years’ imprisonment. So, you might want to think twice before opening your mouth if asked about any objections to a marriage or if you are thinking about disrupting a funeral in any circumstance.

(5) Being annoying is illegal in the libraries of the United Kingdom

Any person causing a disturbance and being annoying within a library by behaving in a disorderly manner or using violent, abusive, or obscene language, or persisting in remaining in a library after a proper warning beyond the hours fixed for the closing of such a library or reading room, may be penalized under the Libraries Offences Act 1898.

Conclusion

There are numerous strange laws, which appear to be funny to outsiders but are taken seriously by the makers of the laws. The majority of these laws were enacted after the mentioned societies were negatively impacted by the negative effects of their absence in the past. As such, it is important for people to do the right amount of research before traveling to new places so as not to get into trouble with the laws of the particular country.