# Are there states where something is uniquely illegal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 7, 2021, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195 "2021-08-07T14:58:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2021, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/182 "2021-08-17T15:38:56Z")
Just got back from a vacation in Idaho and Oregon. Found that my jar of CBD is illegal in Idaho. I filled up with gas 3 times in Oregon, I pumped twice, an attendant once. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2021, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/183 "2021-08-17T16:53:19Z")
[“Behold this creature that walks like a man. It wants _ketchup_ on its _hot dog_.”](https://www.straightdope.com/21341854/why-is-there-no-ketchup-on-a-properly-made-hot-dog) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2021, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/184 "2021-08-17T17:44:25Z")
[You can live on it but it tastes like shit.](https://media.aintitcool.com/media/uploads/legacy/ckeditor_assets/pictures/10430/original/BTScrocdundeeIIhotdogsm.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2021, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/185 "2021-08-31T19:04:38Z")
Legal gay marriage’s state by state introduction created some very weird situations from state to state before the feds straightened things out. Some states recognized it others did not. So a person gets married to a same sex person in one state, and goes to another where that marriage is not recognized, so it is legal for them to marry a opposite sex person as they are not married, though if they then go to a state that recognizes same sex marriage, there are 2 marriages which is illegal in most if not all states. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2021, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/186 "2021-08-31T20:36:16Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > where the deal was that you could become a “member” of the “club” that the restaurant owner ran Got married in Kansas back when it had restrictive liquor laws, including private clubs. My brothers were in dire need of a drink after their part of the pre-wedding picture taking, and headed out to a what they had correctly identified as a drinking establishment. They walked in (all tuxed up), and the bartender quickly deduced that they weren’t members. One of the bar regulars noted that the liquor control board people probably weren’t sending in people in formal dress to test compliance, so they got served. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/187 "2021-09-10T16:26:03Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I worked seven years in a West Texas convenience store that offered pump-it-yourself gas. Not once in all my time there did anyone drive off with the pump still stuck in the tank. Stupidity is now so easily highlighted. Back when I was a kid, if twenty people nationwide drove off like that, the entire world didn’t hear about it. These days, there’s security footage of every single SNAFU, and a dozen of those events were caught on someone’s phone. And shared, then shared some more, then show up onYouTube, then end up as the “Tonight’s Idiot” segment on the news. ---
**Author:** ![race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c4cdca/32.png) [@race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/race_to_the_bottom)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2021, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/188 "2021-09-13T06:50:06Z")
In Oregon, only state sanctioned stores sell hard liquor. The supermarket lobby has tried unsuccessfully to have this overturned. It worked in Washington, and it cost the state a good amount of lost revenue. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2021, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/189 "2021-09-13T22:59:43Z")
That’s hardly unique. It’s also true in Pennsylvania and I think Ohio. It certainly used to be true in Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/190 "2021-09-14T06:17:24Z")
It’s still true in Ohio, but the state has franchised the stores to private operators, so it’s not immediately obvious to buyers that the liquor department in the Kroger or wherever is actually a state liquor store. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/191 "2021-09-14T06:32:04Z")
The state liquor store phenomenon is a result of the repeal of Prohibition. Even though they’d lost the battle over the 21st Amendment, the Temperance movement still had a lot of political power in various states. So they made it as difficult as possible for people to get alcohol in various ways. Making people go to a special state-owned store was one of these. Another one that’s still in effect here in Oregon is the requirement that beer truck drivers collect the payment for the beer in cash at the time of delivery. Can’t collect a check or do it on credit, must be cash. I don’t know if this is unique to Oregon, but I suspect it is not. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/192 "2021-09-14T16:48:35Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > in California its still illegal to bring fruit (mostly citrus) from out of state and they still occasionally stop you and ask if you have any and confiscate it When we drove into California back in 1985, there was actually a checkpoint where they asked about that. This was not long after the Mediterranean fruit fly had arrived, so they were pretty concerned. I don’t recall what all we had with us, but I don’t recall having to throw anything away. A couple of years ago we were crossing from Canada back into the US (several times over a period of a few days), and were asked each time if we had any citrus fruit. I guess they were worried about damage to the booming Vermont / New Hampshire citrus industry, or loss of profit because we’d bought some oranges grown in Quebec :D. On the same vein as the Wisconsin butter / margarine: there’s a place near where my daughter lives in Vermont that specializes in breakfast foods. The menu loudly proclaims they serve only real maple syrup. If you want the commercial fake stuff, you have to ask for it and I think there was an upcharge. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/193 "2021-09-14T16:51:11Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > That’s hardly unique. It’s also true in Pennsylvania and I think Ohio. It certainly used to be true in Ohio. And Virginia and North Carolina (unless that’s changed since we moved to VA from NC). In both cases, beer and wine were sold at grocery and convenience stores. In PA, at least when I was growing up, beer was only sold at distributors (privately owned), liquor and wine at state stores, and then they allowed stores associated to the winery to sell their own stuff. It was quite a surprise when I first saw liquor for sale in a regular store (Indiana, I think). ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/194 "2021-09-14T20:47:52Z")
Wikipedia has an [article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholic_beverage_control_state) on the states which have a monopoly on alcohol sales, complete with a handy map. In some states it’s all alcoholic beverages, in one (Pennsylvania) it’s wine and spirits, and in some it’s only spirits. I live in Indiana, where you can buy booze just about anywhere! I had the opposite surprise as **Mama\_Zappa** –visiting Virginia, and finding the only place to buy liquor was in the “ABC store.” ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/195 "2021-09-15T01:36:52Z")
Texas and abortion after 6 weeks. The six weeks is the unique part though some other deep red states are eager to copy. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2021, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/196 "2021-09-18T04:44:36Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > > [@nightshadea](#): > > > > in California its still illegal to bring fruit (mostly citrus) from out of state and they still occasionally stop you and ask if you have any and confiscate it > > When we drove into California back in 1985, there was actually a checkpoint where they asked about that. This was not long after the Mediterranean fruit fly had arrived, so they were pretty concerned. I don’t recall what all we had with us, but I don’t recall having to throw anything away. > > A couple of years ago we were crossing from Canada back into the US (several times over a period of a few days), and were asked each time if we had any citrus fruit. I guess they were worried about damage to the booming Vermont / New Hampshire citrus industry, or loss of profit because we’d bought some oranges grown in Quebec :D. > > On the same vein as the Wisconsin butter / margarine: there’s a place near where my daughter lives in Vermont that specializes in breakfast foods. The menu loudly proclaims they serve only real maple syrup. If you want the commercial fake stuff, you have to ask for it and I think there was an upcharge. When we entered the Peten on our tour bus in Guatemala in 2007 we had to stop and pile out while they searched the bus for any forbidden fruit due to fears of some agricultural pest. We’d been told about it and not to bring fruit but I think they found some anyhow. We were much more interested in taking a photo of one of the guards with his guns - someone had asked if we could, he got this bewildered “tourists really are crazy” look and agreed and we all thanked him and snapped photos. I think I took a photo of a poster explaining which fruits were acceptable and which not at that examination station. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2021, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/197 "2021-09-19T19:42:45Z")
Crossing into Canada unawares I had what was left of a cubic foot bundle of cedar firewood confiscated. They were polite about it, though. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2021, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/198 "2021-09-19T19:52:41Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > the only place to buy liquor was in the “ABC store.” Often referred to as “the alphabet store” or “Aunt Bessie’s Cafe”. When we lived in NC, our county had liquor; the next county south of us did not. We heard that the liquor store that was just north of the county line was frequently the site of drunken brawls on Friday nights, when folks from the next county had just gotten paid, and came up to ours to get their hooch, and consumed it in the parking lot. In South Carolina - at least in the early 1980s - liquor could be sold in bars but only in single-serve “airplane” bottles. It really limited the sorts of cocktails one could order. I went out with some friends to such a bar; IIRC they were able to buy beer on tap, but I was not a beer drinker. I don’t recall what I had to drink (may have simply given it a miss, as I was driving). ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/199 "2021-09-20T15:37:02Z")
In 1845, New York State passed a law that prohibited two or more people wearing masks or any face covering from congregating in a public place. It was on the books until May 2020. > **[1845 Law Banning Use of Face Masks in New York Repealed - Untapped New York](https://untappedcities.com/2020/05/29/1845-law-banning-use-of-face-masks-in-new-york-repealed/)** > > It's true, there is a law in New York State that bans the wearing of masks in public, one of the many strange, outdated laws that remain on the books ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/200 "2021-09-20T23:06:38Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > In South Carolina - at least in the early 1980s - liquor could be sold in bars but only in single-serve “airplane” bottles. It really limited the sorts of cocktails one could order. How does it limit the cocktails? I remember being down there when this was going on and I remember the rationale being that either: 1) the bar couldn’t water down drinks and cheat you, nor 2) could they give you an extra pour for tips and cheat the bar owner. If you bought a drink, you got one shot of liquor; a double, two shots. No light or heavy pours. Made sense then. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195/201 "2021-09-20T23:54:33Z")
Many cocktails are made with small amounts of liquors (less than a shot). A martini has a rinse of vermouth, a proper Sazerac has a spritz of absinthe. If liquors are constrained to single shots, they’ll be pretty simple. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-states-where-something-is-uniquely-illegal/948195.md?page=11)