Gum Control Legislation

In the U.K., not sure about the U.S., there’s a serious gum problem. The Brits apparently expectorate a tired wad onto the sidewalks where it’s picked up by passersby causing a sticky mess. And the stuff is hard to clean up, too.

There’s a bit of a sticky wicket developing in the U.K, and indeed across all of Europe, costing millions of dollars to control and causing stonking battles between officials and lobbyists in the halls of government. It’s a crime wave of unusual proportions that threatens public health and safety everywhere from subways to street corners, and police have become extra vigilant looking for the perpetrators. Awareness campaigns have been launched with billboards and media blitzes calling for the public to eradicate this menace.

Just what is the problem that has the Old World’s knickers in a twist and stuck in a climate of disgust and disarray? A new form of terrorism? A potential pandemic that threatens public health?

You could say that it’s both … sort of. It’s black (and other colors), it’s insidious, and while it may not be life-threatening it is certainly gag-inducing.

Chewing gum, i.e., gum that has been chewed — and eschewed, expectorated,...