# What was not legal (or illegal as the whippersnappers call it) 'back in the day? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 4, 2005, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917 "2005-06-04T19:32:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![klintypooh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3da27b/32.png) [@klintypooh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/klintypooh)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/1 "2005-06-04T19:32:11Z")
I was just wondering what was illegalyears and years ago that is legal today? Not like it was illegal for a horse to walk through Boston on a Tuesday, but actual laws that were overturned for a logical reason. Goddmn that horse. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/2 "2005-06-04T19:47:29Z")
Abortion was illegal under most circumstances in most states before 1973. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/3 "2005-06-04T19:54:18Z")
So-called [Jim Crow](http://www.jimcrowhistory.org/history/history.htm) laws were aimed at hindering blacks in all aspects of daily existence. [Blue laws](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_law) prevented activities on Sundays to avoid offending certain religious sensibilities. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/4 "2005-06-04T20:43:58Z")
Used to be aspirin was illegal to get without a perscription, and ironically at the same time heroin was available over the counter. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/5 "2005-06-04T20:45:21Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > [Blue laws](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_law) prevented activities on Sundays to avoid offending certain religious sensibilities. Some of these are still enforced today. For example, I won’t be able to buy beer or wine tomorrow before 2:00pm. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/6 "2005-06-04T21:08:48Z")
Bars were closed on (presidential) election days, but no more, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/7 "2005-06-04T21:22:28Z")
Public blasphemy? ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/8 "2005-06-04T21:35:12Z")
I believe homosexuality between consenting adults in many areas. While many such laws are still on the books, the courts have refused to enforce them. I believe in theory homosexual acts are illegal in Michigan where I live. ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/9 "2005-06-04T21:45:49Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > Used to be aspirin was illegal to get without a perscription, and ironically at the same time heroin was available over the counter. Citation? In most of the US before the early 20th century, ALL drugs were legal and OTC. Thomas Edison was quite fond of cocaine laced wines, which were 100% legal. For most of the history of the US, all drugs were legal. It always amuses me when people claim legalizing drugs would lead to social disaster. How did the US become a great nation years ago with no laws against drugs? ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/10 "2005-06-04T21:49:50Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > [Blue laws](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_law) prevented activities on Sundays to avoid offending certain religious sensibilities. [From my home county.](http://www.bergen.org/AAST/Projects/Forum/Issues/bluelaws/) Tripler Just some further ammunition, for either side. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/11 "2005-06-04T22:34:45Z")
When I was in high school (class of 1967) Indiana’s alcohol regs forbad women from drinking **at the bar** in a tavern. Women were free to drink at tables, but not at the bar. It’s no longer illegal, but I don’t know when the law was changed. There was also a requirement that a bar must have a window through which a person could see the inside of the bar from the outside. I don’t know if that was changed or not. The age of majority (for voting and making contracts) has changed since I was a minor. I first was able to vote at 21. 21 is still the drinking age in Indiana. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/12 "2005-06-04T22:37:53Z")
Spousal rape. Birth control, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/13 "2005-06-04T23:23:51Z")
> [@E = mc²](#): > > Bars were closed on (presidential) election days, but no more, I think. That sounds like a terrible idea. I think most people could use a quick snort before they go in to pull that lever. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/14 "2005-06-05T01:38:30Z")
Back in the halcyon days when I first worked for local government, city employees were given election day off. (I used to tell people it was because they considered it a religious holiday.) That ended shortly after. To the nitpickers: yes, a few vestiges of blue laws still exist in various localities. But probably 99% of blue laws in the U.S. have been overturned. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/15 "2005-06-05T01:44:29Z")
I believe that it is still a legal requirement here in Sydney to provide your taxi with a nosebag full of feed if you are to keep it waiting for any length of time. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/16 "2005-06-05T01:55:52Z")
Many states had laws against interracial marriage. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/17 "2005-06-05T02:05:24Z")
Black home ownership. (Some neighborhoods, like one near the UA in Tucson, Arizona, had specific laws against home ownership by other groups, like Jews, Asians, Hispanics, etc.) I believe Motrin was a prescription-only drug until sometime in the 1980s. > [@Revtim](#): > > Used to be aspirin was illegal to get without a perscription, and ironically at the same time heroin was available over the counter. Which one do you think is the more effective painkiller? > [@rfgdxm](#): > > How did the US become a great nation years ago with no laws against drugs? Times have changed. It’s those damn immigrants. And atheists. And young people. I hate young people, what with their drinking and their partying and their loud hop-fly music and their cough medicine! > [@Guinastasia](#): > > Spousal rape. Spousal rape is legal now? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/18 "2005-06-05T02:17:47Z")
Women weren’t allowed to vote. ---
**Author:** ![andrewdt85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/19 "2005-06-05T02:33:43Z")
People could own slaves. There, I’ve contributed. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917/20 "2005-06-05T02:45:46Z")
> [@rfgdxm](#): > > Citation? No cite, just something I read somewhere. Could very well be wrong, I suppose. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-not-legal-or-illegal-as-the-whippersnappers-call-it-back-in-the-day/306917.md?page=2)