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Strange Laws From Around the World

Explore the surprisingly real, unusual laws of different countries, and see where the internet's favorite versions of them go wrong. Each entry separates what the law actually says from what gets repeated.

Singapore's chewing gum sales ban

Since 1992, Singapore has banned the import and sale of ordinary chewing gum. A major reason was gum jamming subway train doors and fouling public spaces. The law does not make chewing gum itself a crime; the offence is importing and selling it. As part of a trade agreement with the United States that took effect around 2004, an exception was created for therapeutic gum, such as nicotine or dental gum, which can only be sold through registered doctors and pharmacists who record who buys it. The ban on ordinary gum remains in place, and the government has said so on several occasions.

The UK's law on handling salmon in suspicious circumstances

Section 32 of the Salmon Act 1986 makes it an offence to receive, keep, dispose of or arrange to handle a salmon when you know or reasonably suspect that it was taken illegally, for example by poaching. On summary conviction the penalty is a fine up to the statutory maximum, and on conviction on indictment it is a fine. The odd wording, handling salmon in suspicious circumstances, is why it gets quoted as a quirky British law. It is real, and the current text of the section applies not only to salmon but also to trout, eels, lampreys, smelt and freshwater fish.

Denmark's baby naming law

Denmark's naming law (navneloven) says that a child's first name should be one from an approved list, or else be approved case by case. The rules were relaxed in 2006, and the list is now large: one 2024 report put it at more than 50,000 approved first names, with several hundred new names added every year. Older articles that say about 7,000 names are out of date. Parents who want an unlisted name apply through the church or the authorities, and a name may be refused if it is thought likely to cause the child harm, such as ridicule, or if it is a surname-like name not previously used as a first name.

Canada's limits on paying in coins

Under section 8 of Canada's Currency Act, the amount for which a coin counts as legal tender depends on its denomination. Pennies count only up to 25 cents, nickels up to 5 dollars, dimes and quarters up to 10 dollars, 1-dollar coins up to 25 dollars and 2-dollar coins up to 40 dollars. Banknotes have no such limit. The practical effect is that a shop does not have to accept your jar of coins beyond those amounts, though many will agree to take them. Canada also stopped making the one-cent coin in 2012, which means pennies are now mostly a collectible, and cash totals are rounded to the nearest five cents.

Countries' differing rules on bringing in everyday medicine

An over-the-counter cold or allergy medicine in one country may be treated as a controlled or restricted product in another. Ingredients such as pseudoephedrine, codeine and some sleep or pain medicines face tight limits or require a prescription or a permit in some places, and some countries limit the quantity you can carry. Even a medicine you use daily at home can cause trouble at an airport if you have not checked the destination's rules. Carry it in its original packaging, keep the prescription or a doctor's letter, and check the destination embassy's guidance before you travel.

Licensing rules for electrical work in parts of Australia

In several Australian states, including Victoria, most fixed electrical wiring work may only be done by a licensed electrician. Replacing a light bulb or plugging in an appliance is fine, but installing a new light fitting by wiring it into the supply is the sort of job that needs a licence. The rule exists to prevent electric shock and fires, and it is sometimes exaggerated in retelling as you cannot even change a light bulb yourself.

Quiet-hours rules in Switzerland

There is no single national statute against evening noise. Quiet-hours rules (often called Nachtruhe) are set by municipalities and by the house rules of apartment buildings, and they typically restrict noisy activities such as mowing the lawn, drilling or running a washing machine late in the evening, at night and on Sundays. A rumor says you can be fined for flushing the toilet after 10 p.m.; the accurate picture is that building rules sometimes ask residents to be considerate, and legal action over ordinary use of a toilet is not something to expect.

Social animals must not be kept alone in Switzerland

Swiss animal welfare rules are well known for treating the social needs of animals as a matter of law. It is widely reported that guinea pigs, which are highly social, must not be kept alone, which gave rise to a small market for rental companions for bereaved owners. The underlying idea is that the welfare of an animal covers its need for company, not only food and shelter. Check the current ordinance if you plan to keep pets there.

Some stories out there are exaggerated

Many of the weird laws lists that circulate online contain exaggerated or distorted claims. Usually the real law is narrower, older or more sensible than the headline: it targets sale and not use, it applies to one city or state, or it was repealed years ago. Here we have focused on cases with a real basis in actual statutes or regulations and, where an exaggerated rumor exists, we have given the accurate context alongside it.

How to check whether a strange law is real

Start with a primary source. Most countries publish their legislation online, such as the UK's legislation.gov.uk, Canada's Justice Laws website or the national gazette of the country in question. Search for the law's name, not the viral summary. Be careful of lists that cite no statute, use vague phrases like in some states, or repeat the same line across dozens of sites, because the same unverified claim is often copied from one article to the next. Finally, check the date: laws change, and a law that is still on the books may no longer be enforced.

Why odd laws exist and why they stay

Many strange rules were written for a specific problem: gum fouling a new subway system, poaching of valuable fish, a shortage of coins in an economy that preferred notes, or safety in the early days of electricity. Once the problem passes, removing a law takes political effort and parliamentary time, so rules often remain unenforced rather than repealed. Others, like naming laws, reflect a lasting cultural judgment about what the state should protect, and they change slowly as attitudes shift.

If you are traveling or doing business abroad

The practical lesson is to check local rules on the things that actually affect you: medicine, drones, photography, alcohol, cash limits at borders and noise or quiet hours in housing. The fun stories rarely cause trouble for visitors, but the everyday rules do. This page is general information and not legal advice; confirm current rules with official sources before you rely on them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the laws introduced here still in effect today?

The cases on this page are laws or regulations confirmed to exist, or to have existed, as of the time of writing. Laws can be amended, so if you need this for travel or business, check the latest official information separately.

Do other countries have a lot of unusual laws like these too?

Yes. Many countries have detailed regulations created in response to their own history, culture or specific incidents. A good number are rarely enforced or have become effectively obsolete over time.

Can I really be arrested for chewing gum in Singapore?

Chewing gum is not itself banned there. The offence is importing and selling ordinary gum. Littering, however, is punished in Singapore, and that includes spitting out gum on the street.

Why do so many viral weird law lists turn out to be wrong?

They tend to be copied from older lists without checking, and a vivid summary spreads faster than the dull legal detail. A law that applied to one town in the 1800s often becomes a law of a whole country in the retelling.

Where can I read the actual text of the laws mentioned?

The Salmon Act is on legislation.gov.uk and Canada's Currency Act on the Justice Laws website. For Singapore and Denmark, the government legal databases and official agency pages provide the current rules.