Fireworks Now Legal in Ohio, Haven’t Always Been That Way

I am a Pediatrician and, along with other safety advocates, have opposed the legalization of consumer use of fireworks in Ohio. My fellow advocates besides the Ohio Academy of Pediatrics include such organizations as Ohio Prevent Blindness and the Ohio Optometric organization.

Safety Advocates have opposed the legalization of fireworks because we feel that fireworks should be left to professionals who put on firework shows. Fireworks cause injuries, particularly to eyes (blindness) and extremity injuries. Many of the injuries occur to innocent bystanders, usually children who were too close to the action. Fireworks also cause property damage as well as injury and death when the fireworks ignite structures or start brush fires. The noise of fireworks causes people with PTSD (especially veterans ) to have flashbacks. Pets as well as farm animals are sensitive to the noise and suffer from the exposure.

At least since 1972 consumer fireworks have been illegal in Ohio. Only licensed professional firework exhibitors could with a permit from local fire departments legally use fireworks. In 1986 the Ohio legislature passed a new fireworks law, making the discharge of consumer-grade fireworks by the general public illegal, but allowing the purchase of fireworks legal as long as buyers took them out of state within 48 hours. This impractical law allowed Ohioans to legally buy fireworks, but not to discharge these fireworks in Ohio.

Since 2014 the Ohio legislature has almost annually introduced bills to legalize the discharge of consumer-grade fireworks in Ohio. According to web site Open Secrets, Ohio-based Phantom Fireworks donated >$49 thousand during the 2020 cycle. For several years our safety advocacy and anti-fireworks consortium successfully fought off this legalization effort. HB 172 was signed into law Feb 2022 after an earlier version was vetoed by Governor DeWine in July 2021 shortly after a Columbus Blue Jacket was killed when a wayward aerial rocket exploded adjacent to the hockey player. The governor seemed to have a short memory about the goalie’s demise.

Although now that consumer fireworks are legal in Ohio, there are many restrictions associated with this law that keep Ohio from being a state that allows fireworks 24/7. HB 172 formed the Ohio Fire Code Rule Recommendation Committee to write the firework rules. Of the 15 seats on the committee, there are 3 safety advocates (anti-firework) who have, by law, a seat on this committee. Besides myself as the Ohio Academy of Pediatrics representative, there are representatives from Prevent Blindness Ohio and the Ohio Optometric Association.

Consumer fireworks can only be used on your property (not public property) or by permission on someone’s property who has given you permission. There are only about 12 holiday days that fireworks can be used. Fireworks can only be used on these days during limited hours that were set by the State Fire Marshall. You cannot set off fireworks if under the influence of drugs including alcohol. Firework sellers must include a safety brochure with every sale as well as offer safety glasses for sale. Local municipalities and townships may supersede the law and make fireworks totally illegal. The following is an incomplete list of local municipalities that elected to make consumer fireworks illegal: Gahanna, Upper Arlington, Worthington, Bexley, and Columbus.

If you want further information about the new Ohio fireworks law click here.