Being Ugly Is A Crime In Arizona??

One of my favorite things to do is browse local legal websites, and try to find the weirdest laws still in action today. Arizona has a plethora of these weird and wacky laws, from a ban on fortune telling to a necessary permit to feed pigs garbage.

There's one, however, that originated in the most rough and tumble town in Arizona that truly makes me question how frequently we revise our laws here.

The Tombstone Tooth Law

Tombstone is arguably the most famous Old West town still on the map. After being immortalized in the 1993 film by the same name, it's become a massive tourist attraction to relive the life of a 19th century cowboy. We seem to forget that Tombstone was a true gangster's paradise (minus Coolio, of course).

Because of their wild and rowdy ways, visitors and residents stopped caring for their hygiene. Those in charge must not have liked that, because soon a new law hit the streets of Tombstone: No One Above the Age of 18 Could Have a Visible Missing Tooth While Smiling.

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Luckily, it seems that this law has little to no influence on the dentistry habits of Tombstone residents. While there are references to the law all over the city, the actual ordinance is still yet to be found.

More interesting, no one knows how this started. The running theory is that Doc Holliday instituted the law, or at least helped oversee it. Holliday had a degree in dentistry, so it's very likely he cared more about oral hygiene than most other outlaws of the time.

Regardless, it's unlikely, nay, impossible to be arrested or charged for smiling with a less than normal amount of chompers.

[Hastings & Hastings][StupidLaws.com][Tommy Boy via YouTube]