<P> Further legislation in Scotland, known as the Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Act 2007, is now in effect (certain parts of this Act came into force on 10 September 2007). This legislation amends the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 and makes it compulsory to possess a local authority license to sell knives, swords and blades (other than those designed for' domestic use'), or to sell any sharply pointed or bladed object "which is made or adapted for use for causing injury to the person ." Any dealer in non-domestic knives will be required to hold a' knife dealer's licence' . </P> <P> The laws restricting knife ownership, use, possession and sale are nearly identical to the laws of Scotland and the rest of the UK, though contained in different acts . In 2008, in response to a surge in public concern over knife - related crimes, Northern Ireland doubled the prison sentence for persons convicted of possessing a knife deemed to be an offensive weapon in a public place to four years' imprisonment, and added an evidential presumption in favour of prosecution for possession of a knife . </P> <P> Under the Switchblade Knife Act of 1958 (amended 1986, codified at 15 U.S.C. § § 1241--1245), switchblades and ballistic knives are banned from interstate shipment, sale, or importation, or possession within the following: any territory or possession of the United States, i.e. land belonging to the U.S. federal government; Indian lands (as defined in section 1151 of title 18); and areas within the maritime or territorial jurisdiction of the federal government, with the exception of federal, state law enforcement agencies and the military . In addition, federal laws may prohibit the possession or carrying of any knife on certain federal properties such as courthouses or military installations . U.S. federal laws on switchblades do not apply to the possession or sale of switchblade knives within a state's boundaries; the latter is regulated by the laws of that particular state, if any . </P> <P> Occasional disputes over what constitutes a switchblade knife under federal law has occasionally resulted in U.S. Customs seizures of knives from U.S. importers or manufacturers . In one case the seizure of a shipment of Columbia River Knife & Tool knives resulted in an estimated US $1 million loss to the company before the shipment was released . </P>

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