# Should Fireworks be Illegal (to Consumers)? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 27, 2004, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fireworks-be-illegal-to-consumers/252406 "2004-06-27T15:26:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fireworks-be-illegal-to-consumers/252406/41 "2004-06-30T16:07:32Z")
> [@Jeff Olsen](#): > > or an [antique cannon](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=253964&highlight=Kappa+Alpha)… Holy crap! Proof once again that explosives and stupidity do not mix. ---
**Author:** ![Redwing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dfb087/32.png) [@Redwing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redwing)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fireworks-be-illegal-to-consumers/252406/42 "2004-06-30T16:52:15Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > And let’s face it, when you’re talking fireworks, you’re not talking about the most mature or sober demographic to begin with. Me, I’d rather my neighbors weren’t loading up mortars and rockets after soaking down a few Budweisers. I think I’m going to take issue with this. All of the fireworks usage I’ve seen and been a part of has been handled by people who were mature and sober. The parties I remember best were the one’s held by a friend of mine’s neighborhood. They lived in cul-de-sac, and would move the cars off the street, and block off the entrance to the street. All fireworks were ignited in the center of the cul-de-sac, and every house had a hose down to the edge of the street, and buckets of water nearby (these were only used at cleanup time; no accidents occurred in the years that we went there). I do think that there should be laws against _drinking_ and use fireworks, and some regulation about where you set them off (my narrow, tree lined street with over head wiring would be a bad place to use them); but I think banning them is a rather over protectionist solution. As for children, I believe that like anything else somewhat dangerous, they should be taught how to safely handle fireworks when they show an interest in them, and should be kept under the supervision of and adult until they reach their majority. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fireworks-be-illegal-to-consumers/252406/43 "2004-06-30T21:14:04Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > explosives and stupidity do not mix. Neither do [explosives and ovens](http://www.manbottle.com/humor/Man_Bakes_Fireworks,_Blows_Up_Kitchen.htm). Seems to be a trend here, as **Redwing** brought up. Designated firework shooters for everyone! ---
**Author:** ![vix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a88e4f/32.png) [@vix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vix)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fireworks-be-illegal-to-consumers/252406/44 "2004-06-30T21:27:29Z")
> [@E72521](#): > > Florida is wet. It rains nearly every day in the summer. Fires are hard to start. Everyone understands this. There have been a few years that the Fire Marshall has declared that due to drought, a ban on discharging fireworks is in effect, even though it is known that they already are illegal. For the most part, folks respect this. > > This isn’t going to be one of those years. It’s been unseasonably dry in Palm Beach County this month, and there was a[75-acre brushfire](http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/auto/epaper/editions/wednesday/local_news_042e63f675a2f1750096.html) not far from here the other day, probably due to fireworks. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fireworks-be-illegal-to-consumers/252406/45 "2004-06-30T22:03:49Z")
> [@Redwing](#): > > I think I’m going to take issue with this. All of the fireworks usage I’ve seen and been a part of has been handled by people who were mature and sober. > : : : : > : : : : > As for children, I believe that like anything else somewhat dangerous, they should be taught how to safely handle fireworks when they show an interest in them, and should be kept under the supervision of and adult until they reach their majority. No offense, but you’ve led one very sheltered existence. If fireworks are available, kids and teens are gonna get them. And teenage kids are basically idiots. Particularly if you mix in alcohol. My brothers and I were about as boring, sober, and mature teenagers as you’ll ever find, and \* we \* did stupid things with fireworks, including throwing ladyfingers in the house (which led to a burned rug which led to me cutting out a patch with a pocket knife which led to me finding out what the inside of my index finger looked like) and attempting to light fizzled fireworks with dangerously short fuses. ``` And really, the benefit/cost ratio of things like cherry bombs and M-80s (which are the things that I feel should be banned) is pretty low. Sparks and flares are cool. Loud annoying bangs are just loud and annoying, and no one * really * needs their mailbox blown up. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fireworks-be-illegal-to-consumers/252406/46 "2004-06-30T22:10:39Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Whatever someone might feel about whether or not fireworks should be legal or illegal, i’m not sure i’d include under the label “fairly responsible” a person who travels to another state, purchases something that the law says he cannot legally purchase at his age, and then carries that something across state lines to a state where it’s illegal for anyone to have said item. So do you advocate tying the idea of “responsibility” to “law-abiding” in every instance or only with laws you agree with? Is civil disobedience always “irresponsible”? Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fireworks-be-illegal-to-consumers/252406/47 "2004-07-01T16:42:47Z")
Having nearly lost my home because of some illegal fireworks (bottle rocket or something misfired from half a mile away, zoomed through the air, bounced off our siding, and set fire to the back yard. It missed a glass window by about a foot; had it hit the window it would have set fire to the _inside_ of our house). The damage cost of several hundred dollars to repair. We were obviously not able to find the culprit so it was out of our pocket. The fire department investigator told us that that particular firework was not legal in our state, nor for several surrounding states. My opinion was not improved a few years later, when some teenagers were setting off fireworks in the parking lot outside, about 10 feet away from our cars. We asked them to stop. They refused. When the police showed up, they stopped. Later that evening, they vandalized the car. Now, a lot of that was crappy adult supervision, but still, I’m obviously no fan of fireworks. ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fireworks-be-illegal-to-consumers/252406/48 "2004-07-01T17:20:50Z")
They were illegal in NY - became so when I was little - we had sparklers left over from the last legal 4th of July for years, but when those ran out, they were gone, and I don’t remember ever, ever having seen or used anything bigger than that. Here in Gregg County, TX they are perfectly legal, although you can’t set them off _inside Longview city limits_, but since **Gunslinger** ’s place is outside the city limit we can have some of our own. I don’t think Gun’s childhood was any more dangerous and fraught with peril than my own, even if he could get fireworks twice a year and I had none. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fireworks-be-illegal-to-consumers/252406/49 "2004-07-01T18:45:06Z")
The National Council on Fireworks Safety published [a color-coded map to illustrate each states’ general fireworks laws](http://www.fireworksafety.com/statelaws/). ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fireworks-be-illegal-to-consumers/252406/50 "2004-07-01T19:34:03Z")
There’s a problem with that map. The legend at the botom doesn’t explain what the light blue color used on those five northern states means. 😉 On a serious note- If I understand the PA laws in the PDF correctly, flash paper is illegal here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-fireworks-be-illegal-to-consumers/252406.md?page=2)