#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use strict;

my $firstNonBlankLine;
while ($firstNonBlankLine = <DATA>, $firstNonBlankLine !~ /\S/){}

print $firstNonBlankLine;

=prints
This first non-"blank" line
=cut

__DATA__



This first non-"blank" line

this is second non-blank line

##</code><code>##

#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use strict;

while (<DATA>)
{
   print if !/^\s$/;
}

=prints
This first non-"blank" line
this is second non-blank line
=cut

__DATA__



This first non-"blank" line

this is second non-blank line