Yes, I know, "nanny state stupidity" is redundant. Get over it. I want to rub the nanny noses in it when they come visiting.

In southern Idaho there is a fireworks supply company, Firefox Enterprises, being sued (a civil lawsuit, not criminal) by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Here is a copy of their complaint.

Basically they told Firefox they had determined that certain fireworks are banned hazardous substances. Furthermore CPSC regulations specify that "components" that are "intended to produce" banned fireworks are also banned hazardous substances. They want an injunction against Firefox directing them to:

• not sell, give away, or otherwise distribute any chlorate compound, magnesium metal, permanganate compound, peroxide compound, zirconium metal, or any chemical listed at 16 C.F.R. § 1507.2 to any recipient who does not possess a valid manufacturing license for explosives issued by the ATF;
• not sell, give away, or otherwise distribute any of the following chemical for which the particle size is finer than 100 mesh (or particles less than 150 microns in size) to any recipient who does not possess a valid manufacturing license for explosives issued by the ATF: aluminum and aluminum alloys, magnalium metal, magnesium/aluminum alloys, titanium and titanium alloys, or zinc metal;
• not sell, give away, or otherwise distribute any of the following chemicals in any amount greater than one pound per year per recipient to any recipient who does not possess a valid manufacturing license for explosives issued by the ATF: antimony and antimony compounds, benzoate compounds, nitrate compounds, perchlorate compounds, salicylate compounds, or sulfur;
• not sell, give away, or otherwise distribute any fuse in an amount greater than twenty-five feet per year to any recipient who does not possess a valid manufacturing license for explosives issued by the ATF;

For those of you not familiar with the chemistry of common household and barnyard substances:

• Matches are a chlorate compound
• Matches contain sulfur
• Hair bleach is a peroxide compound
• Magnesium metal is found in many cars, motorcycles, and other common objects in your house and garage
• Starting with aluminized mylar balloon and other common objects it's not difficult to make particles of aluminum smaller that 150 microns
• Cow/chicken/pig/etc. manure is a nitrate compound and can be, and has been for hundreds of years, a component for fireworks and explosives
• Many lawn and garden fertilizers are nitrate compounds
• Ordinary string as well as cigarettes and cigarette paper (it's specially treated) can be used as a fuse

And those are just the things I can think of off the top of my head.

The more basic problem is they are trying to prevent crime. This is prior restraint and is like duct taping people's mouths shut when they go into a crowded theater so they can't falsely yell, "FIRE!!!" As I said back in 1998

Crime "prevention" is a very hot button for me.  There is no limit to the evil that can be justified and/or enabled once you accept the premise that it is acceptable to prevent crime by restricting liberty.

December 3, 1998 6:53 PM
Microsoft Gun Club Public Folder

This started in 2004 and I have sort of been following along. It doesn't directly affect me in the foreseeable future because I have the required ATF license and I no longer buy my potassium chlorate from Firefox. I buy in quantities about 10 times larger than what they think is a large order and hence get it much cheaper from a different source. Today I received an email from another fireworks supplier that I have also utilized which said in part, "THE FIREFOX CASE HAS BEEN LOST". The judge has told the CPSC and Firefox to negotiate a mutually acceptable plan or else he, the judge, will make the decision.

So to those pinheaded jerks at the CPSC: I just want you to know you are one stupid set of nannies when you are trying to ban people from selling cow manure. Why don't you go get a real job instead of being professional assholes?