PRO & CON: Should New York legalize fireworks?

Should New York state legalize the use of fireworks? People would take advantage of the situation and cause accidents and fires that we don't need. via Press & Sun-Bulletin

[Fireworks Fiesta]

Yes, the state of NY should legalize the sale and possesion of consumer (1.4g or class "C") fireworks.

Every year the state of NY not only loses out on taxes on fireworks sales, but spends $ to prosicute small offenders of the law that brought fireworks into NY state to celibrate the 4th of July.

These people are not terrorists, they are patriots celibrating a national holiday, one that SHOULD be very important to the Northeast.(remember the 13 colonies?)

Obviously there has to be some regulations if NY were to legalize fireworks. Mainly you would have to fill out a form with the merchent stating that you are 18 years of age or older, and this information goes on file to track who has fireworks.

Other restrictions would be to enforce a permit to NY residents that bought fireworks that can only be obtained through your local fire-marshall that has pre approved your shoot site.

Fireworks should not be allowed to be sold in tents as they are not easily controlled environments, and no fireworks shall be sold in or residents of large metropolitan areas.(i.e. Albany, Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester, NYC, etc.)

With little effort, we can all have a safe and good time each fourth, stimulate local economy, create jobs, stop sending over 1 million dollers each year to PA, OH, & MD, and make us all proud to be American and residents of New York.

[Punisher_14]

Yes the state of New York should legalize fireworks. Only the biggest idiot would put a bottle rocket in their mouth.

[theV]

yeah the state of newyork should legalize fireworks! the people of NYS should have the choice to celebrate the 4th of july on there own

[Fireworks Fiesta]

There curently is a bill that has been on the chpping block since 2001. The current bill would continue to ban fireworks within New York City limits. The city's concern about fireworks being brought into the city from upstate or Long Island could be allayed by people showing their drivers licenses before the purchase of fireworks.

In 1966, as a result of the Federal Child Protection Safety Act, large explosive devices such as ashcans, cherry bombs and silver salutes were banned.

As happens every year, individuals from a law enforcement agency attempt to blow up a watermelon or mannequin with such devices or with professional grade explosives and use that as justification to ban all consumer fireworks. This is very misleading since the most powerful consumer firework of it's type presently allowed by the federal government is a 50mg. firecracker. This is hardly enough to blow off a finger as some would have us believe.

In 1976, the federal government via the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) established strict safety standards for consumer fireworks. Most fireworks now come from China and the CPSC has a presence there to ensure quality. The fireworks industry also has a voluntary consortium called the American Fireworks Standards Laboratory whose standards exceed federal mandates. This means that fireworks are among the safest of imports.

Since 1976, fireworks injuries have declined 90% while their use is up 871%. In 1976, there were 38.3 injuries per 100,000 pounds of fireworks consumed. In 2006, this number dropped to 3.3 injuries per 100,000 pounds of fireworks consumed. The CPSC does not rank fireworks high on the list of consumer items likely to cause injury.

A 10 year study by them concluded that 1/3 of fireworks injuries are caused by illegal items or professional displays.

A 7 year study by them concluded that injuries from fireworks are relatively minor. A follow up investigation by them concluded that the main reason for injuries was not from the fireworks themselves but from misuse.

Their library has data showing that baseball, bicycles, golf and candles, to name a few, have higher injury and mortality rates than fireworks. Death related injuries are higher in states that ban fireworks than in those that don't (0.18 per million as opposed to 0.14 per million). This is because dangerous bootleg items surface when there is a complete ban.

According to the American Hospital Association, each of their 6,820 hospitals treat an average of 1 fireworks injury per year while there are 82 bicycle related injuries per hospital. The United States Fire Service has stated that properly operated electrical equipment causes more fires than fireworks.

CPSC statistics from 2002-2004 showed an average of 376,600 fires in the United States, resulting in 2629 deaths and 13,110 injuries. Fireworks aren't noted in the report. Cooking equipment and cigarettes are.

The often quoted National Fire Protection Assiciation (NFPA) has been cited on a number of occasions for the use of misleading statistics (eg. people who die going to and from a fireworks display are counted as a fireworks related death. Todays fireworks are not those that caused our state to enact the ban in 1940!

SUPPORT LEGAIZING FIREWORKS IN NEW YORK STATE!
LIFT THE FIREWORKS BAN IN NEW YORK STATE!
FIREWORKS ARE NOT AS DANGEROUS AS SOME LOCAL AGENCIES WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE. THEY ARE MISINFORMED,GET EDUCATED!

[robert]

fireworks should be alowed in new york because the are fun on the 4th of july and the obvious thing to do when you light the fuse is run

[Mike]

It is time to make fireworks legal in the State Of New York!!!I am almost tempted to move to Florida so i can enjoy my life and celebrate my holidays as i please, as for what punisher said i have to agree with what he wrote(ONLY THE BIGGEST IDIOT WOULD PUT A BOTTLE ROCKET IN THEIR MOUTH!)its time to take a stand and fight this rediculous law that prohibits consumer fireworks.The state has no idea how much money they could make in tax's alone just off the sale of consumer fireworks!!!are they BLIND?!!!!!i just checked on fireworks.com and went to state laws clicked ny and what do i see?sparklers also banned now? thats ABSURD come on people take a stand for once!!!!!!start petitioning start Voiceing your Opinions about legalization of fireworks in newyork state!!!!!!!

[Sean]

Of course they should be legal! Theres nothing like celebrating your Independace from the tyrannical King of England like being arrested for possesion of "illegal" items. I thought this was the land of the free? Oh wait, I forgot now its the land of the Patriot Act.

[Joe D]

It is high time for fireworks to be sold in New York State!!! Just for fun, get the Jerky Boys first CD and play the "Firecracker Mishap" prank call! I am sure you will get a few laughs out of that!

[Phil]

Absolutely,fireworks cause far less injuries than most household appliances and it's a shame even safe and sane ground based fireworks aren't legal. For Pete's sake if your not going to even legalize the safe and sane fireworks completely at least allow them on the 4th between certain time frames, this is so unfair.

[Eric]

we all know fireworks are cool and its not fair that other states can have fire works and we cant .Plus the ny goverment is bound to make money douing that all the eligal fireworks that are comfascated every forth of july. go firworks!!!!!!!!!!

[Eric]

egalize fireworks in ny go firewoks!!!!!!!!!!

[Joe]

Please legalize fireworks

[raul]

first we used fireworks to respect 9/11.now its a terrorist act.HOW?!?why can w.bush make up his mind?and its unfair that other states get to have fireworks and we dont.please someone,anyone make fireworks legal for NY!

[Rocky]

Just Do It..
Leagalize FireWork'sz

[Justin]

If you have a facebook account go to this cause and join to make fireworks legal in NY then if we get enough people we make a petition and have them all sign it http://www.topix.com/forum/city/owego-ny/TV4Q...

[Justin]

If you have a facebook account go to this cause and join to make fireworks legal in NY then if we get enough people we make a petition and have them all sign it my bad wrong link this is ithttp://apps.facebook.com/cau ses/277479/59425625?m=1a240be5

[meme]

lalalalalalala make fireworks legal

[soccerguy13]

Fireworks should be legal. the state of new york is missing out on over $2,000,000 in taxes for fireworks. candles baseballbats and cigarettes cause more injuries than fireworks. its stupid that the only way to display fireworks is to have like 5000 dollars in insurance! its Crazy!! there are no fireworks at all that are legal and the government keeps giving out fake statisitics! MAKE FIREWORKS LEGAL!!!!!!!!

[pyro universe]

If you want to become informed and support fireworks in NY go to pyro universe. On that web site you can see the status of the bill that they are trying to get passed. This bill will only become law if we all get involved and our call congress man and woman and tell them we want our fire works. We are patriots and not communists. God Bless America may NY government come to their senses.

[mom]

ban them