17 Things Banned Abroad That You Can Do and Purchase in the USA
The U.S. may be strict about certain things, like unpasteurized dairy and drinking before you’re 21. But in other areas, our country is surprisingly permissive. There’s no doubt America has earned the title “Land of the Free.”
The world has taken a stand against many things that America allows. From ketchup in school cafeterias to our tolerance for incandescent lightbulbs, this list shows just how free the U.S. really is.
Whether our liberty to consume food additives and use less energy-efficient lightbulbs is a good thing is another question entirely. But if you want to sport a mullet, down a bottle of Mountain Dew, and name your child after a fruit, you’re living in the right place.
1: Weird Baby Names
In the U.S., you can name your child whatever you please. From Apple to Moon Unit, whatever you think sounds right for your precious bundle of joy is fair game.
Other countries aren’t so permissive when it comes to naming your child. In Denmark, for example, parents have to choose a name for their child from a pre-approved list, and we’re pretty sure the strangest American names aren’t on it.
2: Potassium Bromate
There could be a reason why so many Americans prefer European breads to our domestic offerings. In the U.S., potassium bromate, a popular bread additive, is perfectly legal. That’s not the case in European countries.
Potassium bromate strengthens bread dough, but European health experts say it’s toxic and a suspected carcinogen. The additive is also illegal in India and China.
3: Ketchup With School Lunch
If you banned ketchup from an American school cafeteria, you might spark a full-fledged student revolt. At the very least, you’d create a black market for packets of Heinz.
In France, though, ketchup is off-limits at school unless served specifically with fries. It turns out that’s not so hard on the French. While ketchup is a staple condiment in the U.S., French citizens aren’t typically fans of the sweet tomato sauce unless fries are involved.
4: Farm Raised Salmon
Much of the salmon you find in U.S. grocery stores is farm-raised (anything marked Atlantic salmon falls into this category). While farm-raised salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 and vitamin D, it’s not legal in every country.
In order to make farm-raised fish look as good as its wild-caught cousins, American fish purveyors often add astaxanthin, a chemical that creates a lovely pink glow. However, some countries, like New Zealand and Australia, feel there haven’t been enough studies showing astaxanthin is safe; you won’t find farm-raised salmon in their markets or restaurants.
5: Turning Right on Red
In Europe and certain Canadian cities, turning right on a red light is illegal. The same goes for Australia and New Zealand, where the equivalent (turning left on a red) is banned.
Interestingly, there’s a growing push to make rights on red illegal in major U.S. cities, too. Legislators have already banned it in much of New York, and as of 2025, it will no longer be legal in Washington, D.C.
6: Valentine’s Day
What could be wrong with buying roses and a card to celebrate someone you love? Valentine’s Day seems like one of the sweetest and most non-controversial holidays.
However, some countries don’t see it that way. Valentine’s Day customs clash with certain interpretations of Islam, so countries like Pakistan have made celebrating it illegal.
7: Wheat Thins
A hunt for Wheat Thins crackers in the U.K. or Japan is sure to leave you thoroughly disappointed. The popular snack is illegal in both countries as well as in other parts of Europe.
Wheat Thins and certain other grain-based products (like Frosted Flakes) contain a preservative called BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene). Countries that have banned BHT believe it may be a carcinogen, though that’s yet to be proven.
8: Adultery
You’ll be hard-pressed to find Americans believing that adultery is morally correct. But in most of the U.S., there’s no law against it. While 17 states have some sort of legislation banning the practice, these laws are seldom enforced.
In other countries, though, adulterers often face harsh punishments. In Saudi Arabia, you could face execution. In Pakistan, a death sentence is also possible, and women who report abuse or assault sometimes end up being accused. Luckily, relatively recent changes to the legislation have worked to improve this.
9: Twinkies
When Americans thought Twinkies were disappearing from shelves, mass panic nearly ensued. Yet, twinkies aren’t as well-loved in the rest of the world.
The reason? Twinkies contain yellow dyes, prompting the European Union to require a warning label. In Norway and Finland, Twinkies aren’t even allowed in stores.
10: Incandescent Lightbulbs
The lightbulb is undoubtedly a modern wonder. If you could go back in time and tell people from the 1600s that they could read or write at night with the flick of a switch, they probably would have accused you of witchcraft. Yet, even a great invention like the lightbulb has its flaws.
Incandescent lightbulbs are power-hungry with short lifespans, making them a non-green option for lighting your space. Many countries and regions, including Russia, Brazil, and the European Union, have banned their sale in favor of more earth-friendly options.
11: Coffee-Mate
In Austria, Hungary, and several Scandinavian countries, there aren’t any sweet-flavored Coffee-Mate creamers to top off your morning java. These countries banned the substance because it contains hydrogenated oil.
Hydrogenated oil is often a sneaky source of trans fat, one of the worst things you can include in your diet. Trans fat can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
It’s true that if you grab a bottle of Coffee-Mate, the nutrition label reads “0 grams trans fat,” but this is a lie. American food manufacturers can legally say there’s no trans fat if there’s less than 0.5 grams per serving. Coffee-Mate servings are only one tablespoon, making it easy for them to say there’s no trans fat.
12: Plastic Bags
In parts of the U.S., like California and Washington, single-use plastic bags are a social faux pas, and you’ll face a fine of up to 10 cents per bag if you ask for them at the grocery store. However, other countries have gone further.
China outlawed thin plastic bags in 2008 and required all bags to be compostable by 2022. Many other countries implement a fine for plastic bag use or only allow sturdy, reusable plastic bag options.
13: Red Dye 3
Red dye 3 is a banned substance in Australia, New Zealand, and the European Union. California also recently banned this bright-colored food additive.
According to an NPR report, consuming red dye 3 has significant health risks, including behavioral issues in children. However, it’s still legal and prevalent in many foods marketed to kids in the U.S.
14: Mullets
Mullets and other “capitalist fashion” are against the law in North Korea. Kim Jong Un’s government cracked down on skinny jeans, nose piercings, and the ever-controversial mullet hairstyle in 2021.
Mullets are also illegal in Iran, as are ponytails and other Western hairstyles. Much to the dismay of some, the formal-in-front, party-in-back haircut is still perfectly legal in the U.S.
15: Tobacco
Government warning labels and general public outcry have greatly reduced using “cancer sticks” in the U.S. and around the world. Still, in the U.S., tobacco use is legal as long as you’re twenty-one or over.
In the rest of the world, that’s beginning to change. Bhutan outright banned tobacco for several years (though they later lifted the ban during the COVID-19 pandemic).
The United Kingdom is making it so that children aged 14 or younger will never have the opportunity to use cancer sticks by raising the legal age for tobacco use each year. As for France? They already have plans to ban e-cigarettes.
16: American-Style Milk
Much of America’s milk supply contains artificial growth hormones known as rBGH or rBST. In Australia, New Zealand, the European Union, Canada, and Japan, these growth hormones are banned.
Technically, countries with artificial growth hormone bans can still import American dairy, but they can’t use the hormones in their domestic dairy herds. So, milk in these countries doesn’t contain rBST or rBGH, but imported American products still could.
17: Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew contains an ingredient called BVO (brominated vegetable oil), which nearly thirty countries have banned. BVO contains bromine, which is a natural element found in seawater. However, when humans consume it in large quantities, it can have harmful effects.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), bromine smells like bleach, can irritate the skin, and causes breathing problems. In the form of BVO, it acts as an emulsifier, allowing all the citrus acids in Mountain Dew to blend evenly.
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