The United States completes its 231st year of freedom from the British crown on July 4.

July 1 is also the 11th anniversary of one of the more onerous laws on the Ohio books, Title 37, Section 3743.63:

(C) No person who resides in this state and purchases fireworks in this state shall obtain possession of the fireworks in this state unless the person complies with section 3743.45 of the Revised Code, provided that knowingly making a false statement on the fireworks purchaser form is not a violation of this section but is a violation of section 2921.13 of the Revised Code.

(D) No person who resides in this state and who purchases fireworks in this state under section 3743.45 of the Revised Code shall obtain possession of fireworks in this state other than from a licensed manufacturer or licensed wholesaler, or fail, when transporting the fireworks, to transport them directly out of this state within forty-eight hours after the time of their purchase. No such person shall give or sell to any other person in this state fireworks that the person has acquired in this state.

What are we allowed?

(Q) “Novelties and trick noisemakers” include the following items:

(1) Devices that produce a small report intended to surprise the user, including, but not limited to, booby traps, cigarette loads, party poppers, and snappers;

(2) Snakes or glow worms;

(3) Smoke devices;

(4) Trick matches.

(R) “Party popper” means a small plastic or paper item that contains not more than sixteen milligrams of friction-sensitive explosive composition, that is ignited by pulling a string protruding from the item, and from which paper streamers are expelled when the item is ignited.

Ohio can be quite the nanny state, but as long as Michigan fares worse, Buckeyes are happy. :twisted: