Asian Regions Prohibit Celebration of Valentine's Day
The California State Assembly has approved a bill that aims to ban microbeads in cosmetics starting from 2020. This move marks a significant step towards protecting marine life, as microbeads are harmful and can accumulate in the food chain. If passed, California will become the first state in the U.S. to implement such a ban, which is expected to have a significant impact on the cosmetics industry in the state.
Meanwhile, in parts of Asia and the Middle East, Valentine's Day celebrations face restrictions due to cultural, religious, or political reasons. For instance, in Saudi Arabia, the religious police outlaw Valentine's Day and prohibit the sales of related merchandise. This has led to the creation of a black market for roses and other festive items. Similarly, in some Indonesian cities, condoms have been seized in shops.
In Brunei, certain foreign religious holidays such as Christmas are banned publicly because they conflict with the official Islamic state ideology, with similar motivations potentially applying to Valentine's Day in some conservative areas. The impact on Valentine's Day merchandise sales in these regions tends to be a significant decline in public sales and advertising, as businesses either avoid selling Valentine's goods or do so in a limited, private capacity to comply with restrictions.
However, in more secular or commercially open Asian countries like South Korea, Japan, and parts of Southeast Asia, Valentine's Day is popular as a romantic or commercial celebration. In South Korea, for example, men give chocolates to women on February 14, boosting merchandise sales substantially.
In a separate development, Kaspersky Lab, a Russian security software producer, has filed a U.S. federal lawsuit to overturn a Trump administration ban on the use of its products in government networks. The plaintiff claims the move deprived the company of its due process rights, following an open letter from Kaspersky Lab stating that the DHS failed to provide the company with due process.
One interesting fact is that a single tube of facial scrub can contain up to 3 million microbeads. This underscores the importance of the California bill, which seeks to protect the environment by banning microbeads in cosmetics.
As the bill now moves to the California Senate for a vote, it remains to be seen whether it will become law and set a precedent for other states to follow. Meanwhile, the global landscape of Valentine's Day continues to evolve, reflecting a complex interplay of cultural, religious, and political factors.
[1] Valentine's Day in Asia: A Comprehensive Look at its Celebration and Impact. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/topics/1164/valentines-day-in-asia/
[2] The Rise of Valentine's Day in Asia. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/13/the-rise-of-valentines-day-in-asia.html
[5] Valentine's Day in South Korea: A Cultural Phenomenon. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/lifestyle/2019/02/korea-valentines-day.html
- The California Senate is set to vote on a bill that, if passed, will ban microbeads in cosmetics, a significant move for environmental protection, as one tube of facial scrub can contain up to 3 million microbeads.
- In contrast to the proposed ban in cosmetics, Valentine's Day celebrations face various restrictions in parts of Asia and the Middle East due to cultural, religious, or political reasons.
- In some conservative regions, regulations prohibit the sales of Valentine's Day merchandise, leading to a black market for roses and other festive items, while in others, like South Korea, the day is popular as a romantic or commercial celebration with boosted merchandise sales.
- The global cosmetics industry may undergo a significant impact from the potential California ban on microbeads, and it remains to be seen whether the bill, once passed, will serve as a precedent for other states.
- Meanwhile, a Russian security software producer, Kaspersky Lab, has filed a U.S. federal lawsuit to overturn a Trump administration ban on its products in government networks, claiming a deprivation of due process rights.
