There are a few strange laws that exist in the United States, laws that you might be breaking without realizing it. It makes sense to assume that we all can’t be expected to know every single laws and therefore can be forgiven for breaking a few. But that’s not the way the authorities see it and whether you are aware of your actions or not, breaking one of these laws could land you a fine or jail time.
Fishing
Not only is it illegal to fish on private property, but it’s also illegal to fish for certain species. The Fisheries Law protects endangered species of fish and makes it illegal for you to catch them and even for you to be fishing for them in the first place.
There are very strict laws regarding exotic fish and it is also illegal to keep some of these as pets, just like it is illegal to keep many exotic animals. Just because they are being advertised for sale and are in the US doesn’t mean they are legal and you could face a serious fine for being in possession of one or facilitating the trade of them.
So, if you’re looking for an aquarium full of exotic fish, stick with the basics and make sure you know what you’re getting. The best choice for beginners is to stick with well known pet stores and basic kit. These days people will go out of their way to get something “exotic” so they can be different, but that originality is not worth the risk or the potential suffering you could be putting animals through by facilitating this trade.
Drug Laws
How many times have you given a friend a tablet or two of prescription painkillers when they have been in pain? How many times have you been offered them? It seems like everyone of a certain age has a prescription to some kind of opioid in the US. If you go into the average workplace and announce that you’re in pain, you’ll be surrounded by rattling handbags and questions of, “Do you want one of these?” in minutes.
But giving someone prescription medication like this is illegal, and quite seriously so. You’re probably not going to have the DEA down on you for serious drug offenses, but you’re still breaking the law and could get into serious trouble. There are many such issues with drugs like this. If you take them to some countries you can get them confiscated at best and you could get arrested at worse, even if you have a prescription.
Many Middle-Eastern countries have a blanket ban on drugs that are widely available on prescription in the US. You probably knew that you couldn’t take prescription pot to many other countries, but did you know that you could get into the same trouble across the Middle-East? Did you know that countries like Greece also have a blanket ban on opioids and people bringing them into the country?
Illegal Betting
I live in the UK, where betting companies advertise frequently on TV and where you are always a click or a stroll away from placing a bet on sports or from playing a few hands of poker. In large parts of the US, it’s a different story altogether and due to the nature of these laws you could land yourself some serious prison time even for betting with friends.
The Illegal Gambling Act of 1970 specifies that an\y betting activity that goes against local law, takes place between five or more people and involves stakes of more than $2,000 a day is classed as an illegal gambling operation and can lead to a decade behind bars.
So, while you’re not going to get into trouble for placing a few $20 bets with friends, if you have 5 or more friends watching a game and you all throw some money into the pot to bet on the outcome, you will want to make sure that pot is less than $2000. Or you could avoid gambling altogether, but where’s the fun in that?
