Following in last year’s footsteps, municipalities and the mayors formally request a countrywide ban on the sale and use of fireworks from the Dutch government for this year. Today it’s clear that the outgoing Dutch cabinet is also on board with a fireworks ban.
Citing the current pressure on hospitals due to the skyrocketing coronavirus cases, the Association of Dutch Municipalities and the mayors of the Security Council believe that any fireworks injuries will only add to this existing messy situation.
The NOS reports that even with last year’s ban, the number of total injuries rose to 108 recorded by hospitals in addition to 275 injuries reported by general practitioners. The national average number of injuries from other years exceeded a thousand. 🤯
Several Dutch cities already had a local fireworks ban in place, such as Amsterdam, and other Dutch cities such as Rotterdam were cancelling their organized fireworks shows in order not to promote people huddling up, enjoying the show and coughing carelessly at each other at midnight.
Above and beyond
Looking at last year’s history, the ban may not be as effective as the government hopes for it to be as people went above and beyond in acquiring, using, and even storing illegal fireworks — like when the police seized 13,145 kilos of illegal fireworks in one dark 2020.
What do you think of this latest ban on fireworks across the Netherlands? Let us know in the comments below!
Feature Image: Alexander Kagan/Unsplash
This is an excellent measure! But what needs to be done is to change the public perception of people that use fireworks; Anyone that uses fireworks (personally) is nothing but an asocial criminal. If convicted they should be prohibited from ever engaging in an occupation that involves contact with the public (teaching, HORECA, government, etc.)
If a community wants to have supervised, well regulated fireworks displays fine and dandy.
People who injure themselves using fireworks should not be allowed medical treatment, Certainly not in a hospital; this is self evident, of course, but it does bear repeating.
Scary, Glenn.
I know, I know. My comment is on the blog post, not a reply to Glenn’s comment, but I think someone has to chime in. This is nonsense.
First of all, making unprofessional use of fireworks a criminal act? Prison time. For fireworks? Something that’s meant to be enjoyed, but could be dangerous like 500,000 other things in the world if misused? Way to take the joy out of life. Change your perception. Fireworks are not dangerous unless you’re not careful. They’re designed that way. Not as weapons. Not as bombs. They are pretty lights to shoot up into the sky. Calm down.
And denying someone medical care because they did something you disagree with and injured themselves or were injured? Just let them die or be maimed for the rest of their life? That’s your attitude? I don’t think you’ve actually thought about this.
Rant over. Have a good week. Sorry for not having a comment for the actual article.