Modernizing Traditional Laws
It is common for business owners to not understand why understanding legal regulations are necessary to scale up international commercialisation, at first. However, in the long term, especially where SME source their goods internationally for sale to US and international customers, it will be invaluable to understand specific state laws or the laws of countries of operation as a whole to produce products for sale that thoroughly comply with regulatory standards and manage potential risk.
For example, Virginia knife length laws govern the permissible size of knife for possession and carry at a specific location. As an entrepreneur expanding product lines in kitchen appliances and utensils and setting up international distribution through Asia, many SMEs may want to sell hunting, folding, or automatic knives. In this case, these knives are not just for cooking, but a lot of entrepreneurs sell similar products in outdoor stores for hiking, camping etc. There may be certain states or regions where knives are illegal and using legal instruments may have serious criminal implications for small to medium sized enterprises.
For example, under Virginia law (18.2-311), no person may give, sell, or distribute any knife:
- Lawfully made or manufactured to any agency of the Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof; or
- Used by a law-enforcement officer or sheriff only while on duty for his agency; or
- For use under military contract; or
- For the purpose of studying or teaching the science of knife making, the art of knife throwing, or the trade of knife manufacturing; or
- For safety purposes as prescribed by law or regulation; or
- In any other manner permitted by law.
Any person who sells or distributes knives in violation of this section, upon conviction thereof, shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.
Moreover, pursuant to § 18.2-311.01. Illegal knife or dirk; personal/private; punishment of second offense, any person who shall unlawfully possess on his person any knife or dirk with a blade length in excess of three inches (except as provided in § 18.2-311) shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. Upon a second or subsequent such violation, he shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony.