It’s completely fine to buy prescribed medication but traveling with them is considered a crime in some countries. Medicines that are readily available and legal in the US are illegal in Japan. You may suffer from serious consequences if you violate the laws of the country you’re visiting.
Although medicines are crucial for people suffering from chronic or serious illnesses, some countries have certain medications that are illegal to carry with them. This law is among those weird things that are illegal but should be legal.
Travelers can carry their medication to the borderline but not across. Each country has its own guidelines for which medicine is legal. Medicines that are commonly prescribed and used in the US can be illegal, being unlicensed or controlled substances, in other countries.
For example, Japan has banned some inhalers and certain allergy and sinus medications. Also, UAE has strict narcotics laws and has imprisoned many visitors.
Each country has its own rules, therefore, you must be aware of their laws before visiting. Violation of this law can lead to serious consequences such as removal of your medication which can harm your medical treatment or stiff penalties that include imprisonment on charges for drug trafficking. (1, 2)
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7 Lemonade Stands
In most states of the US, innocent lemonade stands erected for summer pastimes are illegal. The state believes that lemonade stands violate many laws and operate businesses without permission. It also comes under child labor laws.
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A lemonade stand is a business that children commonly operate to sell lemonade in the summers. The term also defines stands to sell other beverages like iced tea. The stand can be a folding table.
However, in the US, unlicensed lemonade stands are banned. Ban on lemonade stands is among those things that are illegal but should be legal. The government believes that lemonade stands violate some laws such as operating a business without license or permit, child labor laws, and lack of adherence to health codes.
Litigations on lemonade stands are extremely rare, but we’ve seen many cases that occurred. For example in Texas, the lemonade stand of a child was shut down in June 2015.
When the mother made efforts to get permission to reopen it, she was asked to have her kitchen inspected. Also, a 5-year-old girl was fined $150 for selling homemade lemonade. (1, 2)
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8 Bald Eagle
It is a crime to take a bald eagle without permission from the Secretary of the interior. Even if a person takes a feather, eggs, nests, or any part of the body, he/she is committing a crime according to the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. You’ll be sentenced to five years if convicted and can be charged up to a $250,000 fine.
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Although bald eagles are no longer an endangered species, all bald and golden eagles are still being protected by a number of federal laws, including the Eagle Act, the Lacey Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and others. Eagles, their feathers, nests, nest trees, and winter/nighttime roosts are all under the protection of federal laws. This fact includes this law among the weird things that are illegal.
The Eagle Act disallows anyone from possessing, taking, selling, bartering, purchasing, or transporting live or dead eagles or any of their parts (nests, eggs, feathers, etc.) without prior authorization. These also include active and inactive nests. The law was passed in 1940.
Penalties for violating the law for the first time include a one-year imprisonment and a fine of $100,000 for an individual and $200,000 for an organization. If you violate the laws for a second time, penalties include two years of imprisonment with a fine of $250,000 for an individual and $500,000 for businesses. (1, 2)
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9 Bolt Cutters
It is illegal to carry bolt cutters or pliers in California. It is a state with large cattle and horses ranches. These horses and cattle are tied to wire fencing. People used to cut the fence using pliers and steal the animals. This reason made it illegal to carry pliers in Texas.
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Among the different outdated and hilarious laws we see in California, it is prohibited to carry bolt cutters. This prohibition is associated with an old cowboy law. It is illegal to carry pliers in Texas because long ago cowboys used to carry them in their pockets and cut through the barbed wire fences.
It is the state with the big cattle and horse ranches. These horses and cattle are tied to wire fencing. People used to cut the fence using pliers and steal the animals. Because of that, it is illegal to carry pliers in Texas. In California, like Texas, people think that you’re carrying it for a criminal purpose. (1, 2)
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10 Carrying a Permanent Marker
In many areas of the US, carrying a permanent marker or any means to make graffiti is illegal according to anti-graffiti laws. Making graffiti is considered a crime and you can be arrested for carrying a permanent marker, cans of spray paints, or other permanent-staining stationary.
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Among the 10 weird things that are illegal but most people are unaware of, this law is by the far the most unusual. Carrying a permanent marker or other means of permanent-staining stationery in public places is entirely illegal in many states of the US.
These include Florida, California, and New York. According to the anti-graffiti laws, you’ll need to pay a fine of $1,000 if found guilty by the court. However, you can make graffiti legally with the permission and consent of the owner of the property. But, you can’t make it on public properties like roads, bus shelters, or any other property owned by the government. (1, 2, 3)
