This morning I got to thinking about buying fireworks for a 4th of July celebration. That’s when it dawned on me that there are only certain times of the year, or places, where the bang-bangs can be purchased. Then I remembered that not all states in America allow the sale of fireworks. And that’s when one of the sparklers in my brain lite up and I realized that people can purchase say a semi-automatic weapon, such as an AK47, a Glock or any variety of other guns along with their required ammunition, a whole lot easier than they can say, firecrackers.
To be sure, I needed to do some research so I started calling friends in far off places like South Dakota and learned that yes, fireworks can be sold there—but only in certain places and for a limited amount of time. People from neighboring states apparently flock to this state with the new branding message of “We’re better than Mars” to buy them.
Hard to believe that slogan got sold to them but whatever.
In addition to needing money to pay for them, all buyers of fireworks in South Dakota are required to show their driver’s license before any purchase is possible.
While most states in our nation allow the sale of fireworks to one degree or another, a few of them–Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York—actually ban the sale of consumer fireworks, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association website.
In other states, such as Illinois, Iowa, Ohio and Vermont, only wire or wood stick sparklers and a few other novelty items are allowed to be sold.
Right here in the “stand your ground” Gunshine State of Florida the list of “specifically prohibited” fireworks sales items include firecrackers, torpedoes, skyrockets, roman candles, daygo bombs, and any fireworks containing explosive or flammable compounds.
As for ID requirements, they vary from state to state.
Also hard to believe is that lawmakers have placed more restrictions on the sale of fireworks than they do on the sale of firearms given that you can buy guns pretty much 24/7 somewhere all year long. But, it kinda sorta looks as if that’s the case.
To find out where your state’s stands on fireworks visit: http://www.americanpyro.com/state-law-directory.
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