With Independence Day nearing, two interest groups are asking states to ban consumer use of fireworks, citing the thousands of injuries firecrackers cause every year. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have each issued statements warning consumers of the dangers of fireworks. The agencies recommend that families leave the handling of firecrackers to trained experts and only attend public, supervised displays.

According to data obtained by the AAP, 8,500 people were treated for firework-related injuries in U.S. hospitals in 1999, with that figure jumping to 11,000 in 2000. Nearly one third of all injuries resulted in permanent blindness. Currently, only eight states ban consumer use of fireworks: Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.