illegal

WTF Fun Fact 12450 – Singapore’s Gum Laws

Have you ever sat on a park bench or at a table in a public library only to have to Google “how to get gum off clothing” later on? For some reason, it’s one of those things that people still feel free to stick wherever they’d like. And now that we’ve spent the last few years learning so much about germs, it seems extra disgusting.

Well, Singapore is having none of it. None at all. To keep the country free of the gummy scourge, they’ve banned it altogether. You can’t import it or sell it. So any gum you get in Singapore is either illegal smuggled in or medicinal in nature.

The gum ban was introduced in 1992 by Singapore’s first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew. It became one of the only things foreigners knew about the country at the time, which was reportedly pretty annoying for the leader. But his goal was to create a today, pristine country that would turn into an international business hub and bastion of good behavior.

“We were called a nanny state,” Lee told the BBC’s Peter Day in 2000. “But the result is that we are today better behaved and we live in a more agreeable place than 30 years ago.”

Now, if you’re over 40, you may remember the story of American teenager Michael Fay. He was sentenced to 6 lashes with a cane (a pretty severe form of corporal punishment) in Singapore. It caused a strain in international relations between Singapore and the U.S. But, in fact, Fay was being punished for a ten-day vandalization spree during which he spraypainted cars and damaged and stole road signs. It had nothing to do with gum. In fact, caning has never been a punishment for gum chewing in Singapore.

Singapore has some other tidiness and good behavior laws as well, such as bans on graffiti, jaywalking, spitting, and everyone’s personal favorite “expelling mucus from the nose” (in other words, blowing snot rockets). Frankly, we’d be into banning that in public as well.

Another fun fact? You are legally required to flush a public toilet after use in Singapore.

Ok, so back to the gum. After so many years of having the law in place, Singapore has relaxed a bit. But that’s probably because no one really wants to risk it anymore. Since it’s illegal to sell it, the only gum you’ll see is at pharmacies. Licensed doctors and registered pharmacists can sell medicinal gum (such as nicotine gum) with no issues. But if you get caught spitting it out on the street, you can expect some trouble. – WTF fun facts

Source: “Why Singapore banned chewing gum” — BBC News

WTF Fun Fact 12409 – A Strong Signal Jammer

Signal jammers are often illegal for a reason – they can take out all communications in an area, including the ability to dial 911. But a French father in the town of Messanges, France, clearly didn’t know that. He was just trying to get his social media-addicted kids off the internet between midnight and 3 am so they would get some sleep.

A report from the outlet France Bleu says the dad used a multi-wave band jammer, seemingly without knowing its power. These are illegal in France (as well as the U.S.). They work by interfering with all communication signals, not just the internet. Authoritarian regimes often use them to stop the spread of information during revolts.

It wasn’t until neighbors started complaining that the government was forced to investigate the reason for the broader power outage and questioned the father. According to French authorities:

“He was thinking of depriving only his children of the internet and did not imagine that the wave jammer he was using would disrupt telecommunications in an area spanning two municipalities. An investigation by the National Frequency Agency established his responsibility and legal proceedings were initiated.”

You read that correct – legal proceedings. It’s a pretty big deal (and could have had dangerous consequences) to strip your neighbors, even accidentally, of the ability to communicate with the outside world.

That’s why dad is now facing a fine of 30,000 Euros and six months in jail. – WTF Fun Facts

Source: A Father Accidentally Shut Down His Town’s Whole Internet in an Effort to Limit His Kids’ Screentime — Gizmodo