Should bigger and more powerful fireworks be sold in Minnesota?

Eric Ringham April 5, 2012, 5:00 AM Apr 5, 2012

The Legislature is considering a bill to allow the sale in Minnesota of the same sorts of fireworks available to consumers in Wisconsin. Current law limits Minnesota sales to on-the-ground novelties like snakes, fountains and sparklers. The change would open the way to sales of bigger and potentially more dangerous fireworks like skyrockets. Today’s Question: Should bigger and more powerful fireworks be sold in Minnesota?

About the blogger

Eric Ringham

eringham@mpr.org

Jim G

No, absolutely not. In Wisconsin, it is illegal for a resident of the state of Wisconsin to buy fireworks including, for example, firecrackers, roman candles, bottle rockets and mortars, without a valid permit. Without a valid permit legal only in the local city which issues the permit, a resident is subject to a $1,000.00 fine per violation. I know this because of family members living in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin only allows the sale of fireworks to consumers from out of state.That’s you Mudducks. If you have a Wisconsin ID you cannot buy them. They can only be sold to MUDDUCKS, that’s a Minnesotan in Badger speak, and other out of staters.

My best hunting dog was ruined because of 4th of July illegal fireworks being set off in my cul de sac at all hours of the day and night by the numb-skull on my street. Let’s make it legal for me to shoot skit with my shotgun at 6:00 in the morning in the middle of the cul de sac and then maybe I’ll be happy.

Jim G

My wife says I shouldn’t have posted the last paragraph. Consider it withdrawn. It’s a good thing I have my wife to civilize me.

C Lee

Personally, I hate fireworks of any kind except the really big ones the cities fire off. I would hate to see an expansion of personal fireworks. Especially if it were not combined with a restriction to only fire them off on July 4th. Some of my neighbors start the middle of June and go through the middle of July at all times of the day, any day of the week. It’s impossible to get to sleep until they quit. It’s just noise pollution as far as I’m concerned.

C Lee

jon

Legal to sell, still illegal to use.

Could be a great income generator for cities who’s police departments choose to enforce the laws around setting off fireworks and fining those who do.

Sadly these laws aren’t enforced through out most of June and July right now… so what will change when the items are more readily accessible?

Maybe a tax on the fireworks should pay for police to enforce the laws around setting off fireworks… great little revenue generator, assuming that no damage is caused by the increase in illegal firework usage… which their will be.

Bart

We have the same problem in our neighborhood. A few chuckle-heads who drink and carry on until they exhaust their reserves of fireworks. I also want the personal freedom and liberty to start a sunrise trap shooting league off my deck and into my rather large backyard.

Philip

Yes. These stupid laws on restrictions of law abiding citizens are yet another example of the nanny state we live in. If there is someone stupid enough to get their hand blown off while lighting a firework, then the concept of natural consequences would seem to be working just fine.

Robert Moffitt

No. And Rep. Kriesel should be ashamed of himself for introducing this dud of a bill. It deserves to die without a vote.

Steve the Cynic

No. It’s not that we need a “nanny state” to protect us from ourselves. We need laws and law enforcement to protect us from each other. Ask your friends in the fire department if they think this is a good idea.

Philip

Steve – “No. It’s not that we need a “nanny state” to protect us from ourselves. We need laws and law enforcement to protect us from each other.”

Uh, isn’t that saying the same thing?

Steve the Cynic

Um, no it’s not, Philip. Let me put it another way. I don’t need a law to keep a drunken yahoo from blowing his own fingers off with a firecracker, but one that keeps the same drunken yahoo from starting a brush fire in my neighborhood with a bottle rocket would be kind of nice. If you can’t see the difference between the two, don’t waste your time arguing with me.

Michael

Why don’t we legalize the world’s most utilitarian plant (Cannabis/hemp) first? People want more excitement? Legalize all entheogens and learn meditation and mindful interaction with nature, engaging synchronicity will ensue.

We need to increase our intelligence and appreciation of life, not add more Darwin Awards to the Human record.

GregX

Require a (1) permit to buy & shoot, (2) insurance to cover damage to others property ( so we don;t have to clog the courts with small claims).

the permit should require signature approval from your neighbors. If the firework can go 100 feet in the air or be heard by neighbors 200 feet away – then you need permission from the neighbors that border your property. Bigger fireworks – require approval from neighbors 3 houses away in all directdions.

YOU live in a neighborhood – and better get along with them – they AINT your slaves and servants – nor are they fireproof). the insurance should cover all damages for all permited fireworks. shooting a firework not covered by your permit – lifetime ban from fireworks, restituion of all damages, and a $4000 fine.

Why so harsh – because … you can’t fix stupid and when stupid starts your roof on fire, injures your pet or keeps you up all night – stupid needs to pay the piper.

Jefferson

Yes, of course we should allow the actual fireworks (non-sparklers) to be purchased in Minnesota. I know all sorts of people who make the trip to Wisconsin and spend hundreds of dollars on fireworks; that money could easily be spent here in our own state. From what I can tell there are just a bunch of busy bodies against this fireworks bill…basically they think because they are against something others should have no right to that activity. These are the same people who don’t want to allow Sunday liquor sales. Time to grow up and let the free market work…if you don’t like something then don’t buy/use it.
jon

This is clearly a job creating bill.

Jobs selling fireworks, Jobs for police fining those who choose to set them off, Jobs for Firefighters to come put out the fires cause by people setting them off, Jobs for insurance companies, jobs in the healthcare industry re-attaching body parts, veterinarian jobs.

So as long as the economy trumps personal safety then this must be a good idea!
Jim G

I understand one the popular firework fountains/sky rockets holds 7 rockets in one package has 500 grams of black powder.

500 grams = 1.10231131 pounds

I had a hunting buddy who hunted with a muzzle loader which uses black powder. He had a few miss fires and decided the 1 pound container of black powder was not working, So he decided to dig a hole under a stack of 4′ by 8′ 3/4 inch plywood 2 feet high. He lite it just like in the cartoons and pirate movies. He says when it blew, it lifted the stack of plywood two feet off the ground and it was “quite impressive.”

We don’t need a bunch of guys comparing their firecrackers to see whose is the biggest.
Philip

@Steve – I am sick of having “the law” intrude on every single aspect of my life. I am also sick of having condescending people think it’s a waste of time to argue about letting people live their lives. Since the current version of the law regarding the expanding use of fireworks was implemented I have yet to see any of the “authorities” show how this has had a bigger impact on the lives of people from when fireworks were completely banned.

Oh, and your argument about some “drunken yahoo starting a brush fire in my neighborhood with a bottle rocket” is covered by a plethora of laws already, from arson to property damage to assault to public drunkenness.
Steve the Cynic

If the law really did “intrude on every aspect” of your life, Philip, you’d have a point. I agree that the law should intrude as little as possible, but when the law “intrudes” in your life to keep you from intruding on my life (or vice versa), that’s not necessarily a bad thing, is it?
Craig

Not being big on protecting people from their own stupidity, I have relatively few issues with selling people fireworks. There’s very little enforcement of the existing laws as it is… may as well get some tax money out of it.

Question: does the “Castle Doctrine” apply when someone launches rockets in the direction of someone else’s house?
GregX

phillip : “I am sick of having “the law” intrude on every single aspect of my life.”

…………………………………………….. 🙂 I know a lot of convicts who say the same thing.

On the serious side …. that is the absolute purpose of the law .. to define the community standards that everyone needs to abide by. In the absence of law …. there is no standard of behavior – based on anything. While that is an ultra-libertarian ideal … its other name is anarchy. The law protects both the actor and those affected by the act. If there was no law … then the retribution against those who “Innocently” acted in the matter of having a little personal fun … would become the down side of the problem. Law creates the uniform behavior that we are all supposed to strive for – based on some level of common agreement, rational argument and respect for divergent ideas. Note – its NOT 100% respect for 100% of every single tenet of every single divergent ideal – just some respect or consideration … and in some rare cases 0% respect.
JasonB

No. Any legislator who votes for this should have to live next to my neighbors who are already setting off illegal fireworks.

The noise from fireworks is unbearably annoying. And it is only getting worse. The noise pollution has been expanding to more days prior to the Fourth of July, and involving more homes around my block. In my area this is probably the biggest source of noise ordinance violations.

This is a quality of life issue. The only ones who would benefit would be the venders. Everyone else who values their peace would lose an exponentially greater amount.

We shouldn’t allow insensitive, selfish adults an opportunity to annoy their neighbors just because it gives them a cheap thrill. My right to peace and quiet far outweighs anyone’s perceived right to make big booms.
JasonB

Philip – You have a point about already having a “plethora of laws” regarding offenses related to fireworks. Unfortunately, having a law does not magically make the offense disappear.

In Minneapolis there’s a noise ordinance, but it is hard to enforce as you have to identify and catch the offender in the act. If you hear fireworks going off at midnight, try getting out bed, getting dressed, going out and finding where it came from (the offenders may have been kids wandering the street with no permanent location), and then getting the police to find them. Simply calling the police to track them down is not considered adequate, the onus is on you. So offenders have little fear of getting punished.
Todd

One thing to consider when creating a statewide law is that the vast rural areas of the state are lumped together with the metro when they are quite different.

A rural Minnesotan’s nearest neighbor may be two miles down the road.

The comments opposed to relaxing the current restrictions are most likely from the metro area and have validity.

Perhaps allowing each county and/or city unit of government to regulate the sale and use is a better option.
Brett

No – we already have city and state sponsored fireworks displays which are much safer and open to everyone to enjoy. Also, not sure how the law can even move forward without violating current city noise laws. Yes I understand understand the state is looking for more money so they can keep spending just add this to the list of pull tabs, Sunday liquer sales, gambling etc.

In the end I value the peace and quite not having to worry if at 11 pm If the loud noise was a firework or a gun shot or if that burning smell is my house on fire!!
Teresa

I like Micheal’s idea, we need more of the freedom and awe these things represent. Legalize Cannabis/hemp, free the world and wow it with beautiful entheogenic visualizations 🙂
Daniel Mark

Yes, because anyone can buy them now in Wisconsin anyway! Allow “real” fireworks to be sold, and put some of the money made from the sale of them into educating our citizens about fire prevention in general.
Mark

Wisconsin is wonderful, not for it’s politic or traditions, but for it’s nature and the people who care for it. Redneck Wisconsin isn’t what we need to emulate, they could at least have fireworks safety training and permits, individual by individual.

Most overlook the trillions that could be available by legalizing the world most utilitarian plant, Cannabis/hemp.