I had some gentle push back on my previous post about fireworks. There was feeling that fireworks are dangerous – and thus in need of regulation. Okay. Here’s my response. . . . . .
In 2017, there were 8 deaths from fireworks (primarily accidents at the big, massive shows).
In 2017, there were 15,549 homicides relating to firearms.
In 2017, 480,000 people died from smoking-related causes — including 41,000 innocents who died thanks to second-hand smoke.
You tell me — which one of these is heavily-regulated; which is heavily-politicized; and which is heavily-taxed.
Ahhhhh. . . . Now I get it. . . .
OK, but two things. First, fireworks tend to be clustered around one day per year. Your stats are over 365 days.
Second, there are plenty of injuries—eyes, fingers, the phosphorous injury I mentioned— that are serious but not fatal. In fact, fatalities are no doubt but a small proportion of fireworks mishaps annually.
I am actually not arguing fireworks should be regulated, just pointing out your statistical fallacies. I’m kind of Libertarian about this.
S.