Fireworks Do Pose a Threat to Children

John R. Lott Jr. and Ruth R. Smith minimize the danger that fireworks represent to anyone exposed to them (“Exploding the Fireworks Safety ‘Threat,’ ” Commentary, June 30). They also minimize the injuries that occur when victims of fireworks injuries are admitted to emergency rooms.

According to an estimate by the Consumer Products Safety Commission, 9,300 fireworks-related injuries occurred in 2003. Almost half the reported fireworks-related injuries occurred to children 15 and younger.

Lott and Smith also argue that controls over fireworks should be abolished because they are not perfectly effective. But that sort of argument could be used to abolish all laws against activities and products that society considers dangerous because they can never be 100% enforced. The implication is that the more unregulated explosives in the hands of private citizens, the safer everyone will be. Happily, most Californians do not accept such nonsense.

Carl W. Goss

Los Angeles

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My guess is that neither Lott nor Smith have small children or animals. I’m assuming that they don’t live in an area where fireworks can be mistaken for gunshots and are fired off every evening by testosterone-filled adolescents. Every year I start dreading the Fourth of July at about the fourth of June because that’s when the celebration seems to start here.

Fireworks may not necessarily be dangerous, but they definitely disturb the peace, which is just as important when it comes to regulation. Either writer is welcome to stay with me and comfort a scared child awakened from sleep, a terrified dog and my shattered nerves.

Jennifer Kert

Los Angeles

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Though I agree with the authors’ position that regulation for most things is better than prohibition, it is clear that they have absolutely no clue about fire conditions in California.

Clifford Schaffer

Agua Dulce