Hey there! I’m John Green, and welcome to my Salon. Today, we’re diving into some of the strangest laws across the United States. You won’t believe some of these! Let’s get started with 50 unusual laws that might surprise you.
In 2009, Vermont made it illegal for neighborhood associations to ban clotheslines. So, if you want to hang your clothes out to dry, you’re in luck! Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, it’s against the law to throw stones or bricks at trains. It’s probably best to keep those rocks on the ground!
Arizona has a law against making or selling fake drugs. And in Virginia, there’s an effort to change a law that makes it illegal for unmarried couples to live together.
In Washington, D.C., don’t even think about surfing or water skiing if you’ve been drinking. It’s illegal! And in Michigan, cursing God is still considered a misdemeanor.
California doesn’t allow dogs to chase big game animals like bears. In Alaska, businesses can’t sell alcohol between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m.
In Utah, boxers can’t bite during matches. And in Massachusetts, swearing at sports players or officials is against the law. Over in New Hampshire, checking into a hotel with a fake name is illegal.
Alabama has a law against pretending to be a religious figure if you’re not one. In Aspen, Colorado, throwing snowballs is a no-go.
In New Hampshire, picking up seaweed from the beach at night is illegal. And in North Carolina, bingo games can’t last more than five hours.
Indiana doesn’t allow sniffing glue to get high. Meanwhile, adultery is still a crime in New York.
Rhode Island has a law against biting off someone’s limbs. In Florida, you can’t put salt on railroad tracks to attract cattle.
Tennessee’s Gateway Sexual Behavior Law stops teachers from discussing handholding. And in Texas, selling your eye is illegal.
South Carolina doesn’t allow dance halls near rural churches or cemeteries and requires them to close on Sundays. Florida can ban alcohol sales during hurricanes.
In Colorado, you can’t damage rocks in state parks. Washington prohibits using x-ray machines for shoe fittings.
Wyoming doesn’t allow fishing with firearms. In Delaware, playing R-rated movies at drive-in theaters is illegal.
In Georgia, living on a boat for more than 30 days a year is against the law. Southington, Connecticut banned silly string in 1996.
In Illinois, culinary students under 21 can drink alcohol. Damaging vending machines is illegal in Derby, Kansas.
Wisconsin doesn’t allow mandatory microchip implants. Hawaii has banned billboards altogether.
Street photographers in Washington, D.C. can’t stay in one spot for more than five minutes. Hypnotizing people is illegal in Everett, Washington.
Enfield, New Hampshire prohibits hunting in cemeteries. In Nebraska, people with STDs can’t get married.
Iowa requires warning signs at tanning facilities. In Florida, public building doors must open outward.
Reno, Nevada doesn’t allow lying down on sidewalks. In Utah, causing a catastrophe is illegal.
In Tennessee, persuading teens to buy alcohol is illegal. Oregon fines people for leaving car doors open too long.
Oregon also has rules against improper waste disposal on the road. And in Michigan, being drunk on a train is illegal, but once you cross into Ohio, things change.
Thanks for joining us on this journey through some of the weirdest laws in the U.S. If you have any mind-blowing questions, feel free to ask in the comments. See you next time!
Choose one of the weird laws mentioned in the article and research its history and rationale. Create a short presentation to share with the class, explaining why the law was enacted and whether it is still relevant today.
Form small groups and select a law to debate. One side will argue in favor of keeping the law, while the other will argue for its repeal. Use evidence and logical reasoning to support your arguments, and present your case to the class.
Pick a law from the article and create a comic strip illustrating a humorous or exaggerated scenario involving the law. Use your creativity to depict how the law might affect everyday life.
Write a short story set in a world where one of the weird laws is strictly enforced. Explore how this law impacts the characters and plot, and consider the social and cultural implications.
Create an informative poster about one of the laws, including its origin, purpose, and any interesting facts. Use visuals and text to make your poster engaging and educational for your classmates.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hi, I’m John Green, welcome to my Salon, this is mental_floss on YouTube.
1. In 2009, it became illegal for groups, such as neighborhood associations, in the State of Vermont to ban clotheslines. This is the first of 50 surprisingly illegal things that can get you arrested in the United States.
2. Wisconsin has a law that you cannot “propel any stone, brick, or other missile at any railroad train.” I think this means that you can technically drop a brick onto a railroad train, although no one has tested the law.
3. In Arizona, you cannot manufacture or distribute “imitation controlled substances.”
4. Virginia is currently trying to get rid of a law that makes it illegal for unmarried couples to cohabitate.
5. In Washington, D.C., it is illegal to surf or water ski under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
6. Blasphemy laws used to be very common in the U.S., but there are still some in existence, including in Michigan where cursing God is a misdemeanor.
7. Allowing dogs to pursue big game mammals, such as bears or bobcats, is illegal in California.
8. In Alaska, the only time it is illegal for a business to sell alcohol is between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m.
9. Bad news for boxers in Utah: boxing cannot contain any biting.
10. It’s against the law to swear at players or officials during sporting events in Massachusetts.
11. In New Hampshire, it is illegal to check into a hotel using a false name.
12. In Alabama, you cannot pretend to be a minister, nun, priest, or rabbi if you are not one.
13. In Aspen, Colorado, you’re not allowed to throw snowballs or missiles.
14. Texan officials aren’t allowed to be excluded from holding office on account of their religious sentiments, provided they acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being.
15. Picking up seaweed off the beach at night is illegal in New Hampshire.
16. Bingo games can’t last more than five hours in North Carolina.
17. In Indiana, you’re not allowed to sniff glue “with intent to cause a condition of intoxication, euphoria, excitement, exhilaration, stupefaction, or dulling of the senses.”
18. Adultery is still a crime in New York.
19. Rhode Island has a law against biting off the limbs of another person.
20. Floridians are prohibited from salting railroad tracks “for the purpose of attracting cattle thereto.”
21. The Gateway Sexual Behavior Law in Tennessee prevents teachers from even talking about handholding to students.
22. You can’t sell your eye in Texas.
23. In South Carolina, dance halls are not allowed to be within a quarter of a mile of a rural church or cemetery.
24. South Carolina also requires their dance halls to be closed on Sundays.
25. In 1974, Florida passed a law allowing the state to ban alcohol sales during hurricanes.
26. Similarly, Utah doesn’t allow the sale of alcohol during emergencies.
27. You’re not allowed to “mutilate, deface, disfigure or injure” rocks in Colorado state parks.
28. In Washington, you are not allowed to use x-ray equipment for shoe fittings.
29. Connecticut just repealed a law that prevented people from keeping town records where liquor was sold.
30. In Wyoming, fishing may not involve “a firearm of any kind or nature.”
31. Playing an R-rated movie at a drive-in theater is illegal in Delaware.
32. Attempting to “corrupt the public morals” makes you guilty of a misdemeanor in Florida.
33. You can’t live on a boat for more than 30 days during a calendar year in the State of Georgia.
34. Southington, CT banned silly string in 1996.
35. If someone is under 21 in Illinois but participating in a culinary arts program, they are permitted to drink alcohol.
36. Damaging a vending machine is illegal in Derby, Kansas.
37. In Wisconsin, “no person may require an individual to undergo the implanting of a microchip.”
38. Billboards are illegal in Hawaii.
39. Street photographers aren’t allowed to stay in one place for more than five minutes to take pictures in Washington, D.C.
40. Hypnotizing people is illegal in Everett, Washington.
41. Enfield, New Hampshire prohibits hunting in cemeteries.
42. People with STDs are not allowed to get married in Nebraska.
43. Tanning facilities in Iowa must come with a warning sign.
44. Doors to public buildings in Florida must open outward.
45. Reno, Nevada doesn’t allow people to lie down on sidewalks.
46. It is illegal to “cause a catastrophe” in Utah.
47. Enticing or persuading teenagers to buy alcohol in Tennessee is illegal.
48. You can be fined in Oregon for leaving your car door open for too long.
49. Oregon also has a law preventing improper disposal of human waste while you’re on the road.
50. Lastly, it is illegal to be drunk on a train in Michigan, but once that train enters Ohio, it’s a different story.
Thanks for watching mental_floss, which is brought to you with the help of these lovely people. Every week we answer one of your mind-blowing questions here at the end of the video. Someone asked, “Did Abraham Lincoln actually have a secretary named Kennedy?” No! Kennedy did have a secretary named Lincoln, but that was a coincidence. Please submit more mind-blowing questions in the comments, and thanks for watching us here at mental_floss.
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This version removes any inappropriate language and maintains a respectful tone throughout.
Laws – Rules made by a government to maintain order and protect people and property. – Example sentence: The government passed new laws to improve road safety and reduce accidents.
Illegal – Something that is against the law or not allowed by official rules. – Example sentence: It is illegal to drive a car without a valid driver’s license.
Alcohol – A substance found in drinks like beer and wine that can affect the way people think and act. – Example sentence: The legal age for purchasing alcohol in many countries is 18 or 21 years old.
Education – The process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university. – Example sentence: Education is considered a fundamental right and is essential for the development of a society.
Wildlife – Animals and plants that live and grow in natural conditions. – Example sentence: Protecting wildlife is crucial for maintaining biodiversity and ecological balance.
Marriage – A legally recognized union between two people, typically involving a public ceremony and certain legal rights and obligations. – Example sentence: Marriage laws vary from country to country, reflecting different cultural and social norms.
Drugs – Substances that can alter the way the body or mind works, sometimes used for medical purposes and sometimes illegally. – Example sentence: The government has strict regulations on the distribution and use of prescription drugs to prevent abuse.
Sports – Physical activities that involve competition and are governed by a set of rules. – Example sentence: Sports play an important role in promoting teamwork and healthy lifestyles among teenagers.
Government – The group of people with the authority to govern a country or state; a particular ministry in office. – Example sentence: The government is responsible for creating policies that ensure the welfare of its citizens.
Teenagers – Young people between the ages of 13 and 19. – Example sentence: Teenagers often have unique perspectives on social issues and can be powerful advocates for change.
