Should Fireworks Be Legal In NJ? [Poll]

I've lived in a number of different states throughout my life, and New Jersey stands apart from all of them for one thing (no, I'm not talking about pumping your own gas) - you can't possess or set off fireworks in The Garden State.

The rules vary from state to state - while my birth state, Wisconsin, is pretty much anything goes, Pennsylvania only allows what they considered to be "sparklers".

But the definition of "sparklers" for The Keystone State is pretty liberal - not just what you see in the photo above, but more or less any firework that doesn't launch off of the ground. So that also included fountains, Roman candles, etc.

It's actually an interesting situation in PA. If you've driven through, you've doubtlessly seen the billboards advertising all manner of fireworks shops. If you're a PA resident, there's only a small section of the store that you can shop in. However, if you possess an out of state license, you're free to shop it all.

But, lest you think you'll flash your NJ license and mosey across the border back home, rest assured, they are watching. You probably won't notice until it's too late, but once your NJ license plate is spotted leaving a fireworks shop on the state line and crossing back into Jersey, it could end up being an expensive lark.

Here in New Jersey, it's all illegal.

No Roman candles, no bottle rockets, no sparklers that you hold and draw your name in the air with.

While I can agree that professional grade fireworks in the hands of amateurs rarely ends well, how many of us haven't heard fireworks going off in our neighborhoods during New Years Eve, the 4th of July, and other holidays?

In other words, people are going to do it, legal or not.

So is it time to relax the rules a little bit here? Vote on the poll below and chime in!