Sparkler ban 'anti-American,' says Mass. state rep. candidate

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Banned in Boston, and throughout Massachusetts: sparkler fireworks

/ CBS Boston

(CBS) HOLLISTON, Mass. - Forty-eight states allow the use of sparklers, one of the tamer forms of fireworks, but not Massachusetts, according to CBS Boston.

Marty Lamb, a candidate for the state assembly, wants to change that, calling the state's sparkler ban "anti-American."

Claiming that Massachusetts wants to control every action and regulate everything its inhabitants do, Lamb told CBS Boston, "We can't ever pick up a sparkler with our kids to celebrate the Fourth of July."

"I'm looking at jobs, the lack of jobs, and over-regulation, and this is just a prime example of overregulation," Lamb contended.

But Fire Chief Michael Cassidy of Lamb's hometown of Holliston told CBS Boston how severe the safety concerns are.

"The tip of the sparkler burns at 12 hundred degrees. Glass melts at 900," he explained.

Federal consumer statistics show that nearly 9,600 people were treated for burns due to fireworks last year; eighteen percent of those injured involved sparklers.

Meanwhile, in the neighboring state of Rhode Island, 90 percent of Slojo's Fireworks customers are from Massachusetts.

Which item sells more than any other?

"Sparklers are the number one seller," said owner Michael O'Neill.

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by ourhouse2012 July 3, 2012 5:16 PM EDT: Sparklers banned?? That is un-American! I looked up lamb, he's running against an incumbent who voted "NO" to legalizing sparklers. Does she think we're too stupid to be trusted? I went to lamb's web site, www.electmartylamb.com and made a donation. I hope he gets into the State House. We need COMMON SENSE PEOPLE!!!; Reply to this comment


by democracy8 July 3, 2012 12:46 PM EDT: We had 35 kids on my small street when I was growing up in the 1960s. Every last one of us enjoyed sparklers on the 4th of July every year, as well as bottle rockets, caps, strings of small firecrackers, snakes, etc. I don't recall even a single incident of injury or fire due to them. Not ONE.

Having said that, to enlightenu--until you are willing to risk your life going into a burning building to save another person's life, you have NO right to criticize firefighters. ZERO!

And to realist2010--That caught my attention too. Talk about a non sequiter.; Reply to this comment


by realist2010 July 3, 2012 11:02 AM EDT: Did this politician just actually try to tie sparklers to jobs? Seriously?; Reply to this comment

by enlightenu July 3, 2012 10:29 AM EDT

Everyone here in MA knows that the fire departments have become tyrannical. They frequently over rule the building code in the name of "safety". They are lazy and only concerned about their own safety. In other words, the don't ever want to have to deal with fighting a fire, and they would ban inhabitants from buildings entirely if they thought they could get away with it.

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