Do restrictive laws encourage residents to purchase illegal fireworks?
Prohibition of consumer fireworks does not work. Americans love to celebrate Independence Day and they take the risk of crossing borders to purchase fireworks for their backyard July Fourth festivities. A much bigger problem for the general public in areas where legal fireworks are severely restricted or prohibited is the proliferation of illegal explosives such as M80s, cherry bombs and quarter-sticks. These illegal devices are extremely dangerous and deadly. Almost one-third of all fireworks-related injuries are associated with these illegal devices, and the vast majority of those injuries occur in the [few] states that do not allow any consumer fireworks. Fireworks-related fires are more prevalent where use is restricted as people do not take the time to plan their fireworks activities — they carelessly use them in hopes of not getting caught. Is Pennsylvania behind the times on fireworks law? The time is long overdue for Pennsylvania to change its fireworks law to provide for sens
