From the National Fire Protection Association's website, an excerpt from an article from Sept/Oct 2004.

Every year, consumer fireworks maim and kill thousands of adults and children. The day before NFPA's press conference, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued its fireworks injury statistics for 2003, showing injuries to be up from 8,800 in 2002 to 9,300.

In 1999, the last year for which data is available, NFPA counted 24,200 fires caused by fireworks, resulting in 12 deaths and 55 injuries. NFPA has collected the data on fires caused when consumers use fireworks year after year, says Shannon.

While groups such as CPSC offer consumers safety tips for fireworks use, the coalition stands firm in condemning any use of fireworks by the public—under any circumstance.

Shannon continued by pointing out the legal ages for buying fireworks in some states.

"In certain states—among them Texas, North Dakota, Mississippi, and Arkansas—children as young as 12 are permitted to buy these things—without parental permission," he says. "And if you think that's bad, Tennessee will let your 10-year-old buy them."

One blockhead in Pakistan threw a firecracker under a bus, killing 40 people. The blockheads in the US will let children buy such things. What is wrong with we people?