In 1999, the small village of Lanjaron in Granada, Spain, captured international headlines when Mayor José Rubio issued a peculiar decree urging residents to stay alive until more cemetery space could be created. This unusual request stemmed from a practical crisis regarding the overcrowded local cemeteries, as authorities struggled to find suitable land for expansion. The mayor's symbolic order, which instructed citizens to 'take good care of their health and not die until a solution is found,' quickly drew media attention worldwide, with many outlets branding it an absurd law. Despite the decree's lack of legal authority, it humorously highlighted the town's dilemma and successfully raised awareness about the cemetery situation. Residents took the decree lightheartedly, and no fines or penalties were enforced. As a result, Lanjaron became a notable point of interest for tourists and travel guides, forever linked to its bizarre attempt to 'ban dying.'