July 2007 | Back to Table of Contents
Clinical and Health Affairs
Sparklers, Smoke Bombs, and Snakes, Oh My!
Effect of Legislation on Fireworks-Related Injuries in Minnesota, 1999-2005
By Jon S. Roesler, M.S., and Heather Day, R.N., M.P.H.
Abstract
In 2002, Minnesota changed its law banning all fireworks and allowed for nonexplosive, nonaerial fireworks. This article reports that hospitals have seen a steady rise in the number of patients treated for injuries related to fireworks, including a 100% increase in the number of annual fireworks-related injuries between the years 1999 and 2005 based on hospital discharge data.
On April 30, 2002, legislation went into effect in Minnesota allowing for the possession and use of nonexplosive and nonaerial consumer fireworks such as sparklers, cones, “snakes,” and “party poppers.”1 The new law relaxed an existing statute that banned all fireworks and was the first substantive fireworks legislation in Minnesota since 1941. Statewide hospital and emergency department billing data from 1998 through 2005 were analyzed to assess the effect of the new legislation. Analysis was limited to Minnesota residents with the external cause-of-injury code for fireworks—E923.0.2
Minnesota hospitals reported a total of 485 injuries to state residents during the 8-year period. The numbers showed a greater than 100% increase in annual injuries, from an average of 39 per year during the period from 1999 to 2001 to an average of 92 per year from 2002 to 2005 (Figure). Total hospital charges associated with such injuries for the years 1999 through 2001 averaged $62,400 per year; total charges for 2002 through 2005 averaged $131,150 per year. Overall, 40% of injuries were to children younger than 15 years; 75% were to males. Burns were the most common injury (62.3%) with the upper extremity being the most commonly affected body region (33.8%) (Table).
The number of reported fireworks-related injuries is similar to findings of the Office of the Minnesota State Fire Marshal, which conducts an annual survey of hospitals from June 25 through July 15 of each year.3 We believe this validates our use of hospital discharge data for public health surveillance of firework injuries. The Minnesota Department of Health’s Injury and Violence Prevention Unit plans to continue monitoring the incidence and cost of fireworks-related injuries. MM
Jon Roesler and Heather Day are epidemiologists with the Minnesota Department of Health’s Injury and Violence Prevention Unit.
References
1. Minnesota Statute §624.20. Fireworks.
2. Public Health Service: International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification. 2004 ed. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2003.
3. Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division: Fireworks Injuries, 1996-2005. May 2006. URL: http://www.fire.state.mn.us/Fireworks/firewkcht05.pdf