OPINION: Smother Fireworks

Allowing fireworks to be freely used in Massachusetts is horrible lawmaking.

There is a bill filed by State Rep. Richard Bastien (R-Gardner) that would do just that. It must be defeated.

Westwood Fire Chief William Scoble and Dedham Fire Chief Bill Cullinane have . Everybody else should contact their senators and representatives and demand that the House of Representatives and Senate reject the bill.

Legislation that puts people in harm’s way must be identified and publicly rejected.

According to the Massachusetts Fire Incident Reporting System, there were 55 reported fireworks incidents in 2009 and 101 in 2012. Doubling the number of incidents while the laws still forbid fireworks is sobering. It demonstrates the lower enforcement level that comes with fewer firefighters in local fire departments.

Some might say the higher number of fireworks infraction demonstrates the need to do away with the standing prohibition.

That is idiotic.

All the data show fireworks are dangerous and cannot be rendered safe. Kids suffer lost eyes, shattered fingers, disfigured faces and worse with these devices. Some carefully supervised companies can deliver a thrilling light show with fireworks, but they have a license from the municipality an agreed-upon place to detonate the fireworks and plenty of fire crews on hand to handle any problems. However, a couple of youngsters with no experience and a powerful firework device add up to probable disaster.

Just about the only thing supporters of the bill cite as a good consequence is that money that is now spent in other states to buy fireworks will in the future be spent in Massachusetts.

Not only is that foolish, it is can be used to back up all sorts of bad law: let’s legalize prostitution and drugs because they are lucrative. (There might be other reasons to legalize those two items, but not their price.)

Legalizing fireworks to make money is enriching a few to endanger many.

It is bad law.

Beacon Hill must smother it.