Vietnam has issued a decree on managing and using fireworks in which the government legalizes the use of sparklers for civil occasions.

Sparklers to be legalized for civil occasions

Decree 137/2020/ND-CP that will take effect on January 11, 2020 will allow state agencies, organizations, businesses and individuals to use sparklers on Tet holiday, weddings, meetings, opening ceremonies, anniversaries, birthday celebrations, and cultural festivities.

The coming into force of the Decree ahead of Tet holiday, the biggest national holiday to celebrate the Lunar New Year, is aimed to prevent unexpected accidents caused by illegal using of fireworks and firecrackers that is rampant in every part of the country on this occasion for years.

The new decree classifies fireworks and hand-held fireworks/sparklers and officially legalizes sparklers for civil use. Under the new rule, people are allowed to use sparklers only.

Anyone aged 18 and older with legal capacity is allowed to the use of sparklers.

Colonel Vu Minh Hung, Department for Administration of Social Order under the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), said “The classification will enable authorized agencies to better manage fireworks and sparklers as well as impose proper punishments on violators of firecracker ban.”

The current decree that was released in 2009 fails to classify fireworks and sparklers. Consequently, it’s hard to punish individual and organizations who illegally traded fireworks and those who unlawfully used fireworks, VnExpress quoted Mr. Hung as saying.

“The new decree is aimed to boost the state management rather than to encourage the use of sparklers,” the police officer noted.

Classification of fireworks and sparklers

Famous US firework producer Jake's Fireworks defines firework is a device containing gunpowder and other combustible chemicals which causes spectacular effects and explosions when ignited, used for display or in celebrations.

Candle sparklers that are allowed to use in celebrations. Photo: VnExpress

While sparkler is a stick with a coating of pyrotechnic composition that creates sparks when lit.

Jake’s Fireworks noted that while sparklers are generally considered safe, fireworks are responsible for over 80% of the injuries each year.

Colonel Vu Minh Hung also named two kinds of fireworks that are used by state agencies, including low-altitude fireworks and high-altitude ones. The former is firecrackers with a diameter of less than 90mm and able to reach an altitude of up to 120 meters. The latter is those with a diameter of over 90mm and which can reach an altitude of over 120m.

Necessary move

Before 1995, using firecrackers is a long-lasting practice in Vietnam for display or in celebrations, mostly on Tet holiday. However, the government banned the production, trade and use of firecrackers since 1995 due to severe fatal accidents and damage caused by this kind of explosive.

Commenting on the MPS’s new move, Lawyer Bui Quang Thu from Hanoi Bar Association told Kinh te & Do thi Newspaper that “The legality of sparklers is in line with the current demand.”

In reality, a large number of people use sparklers for display and in celebrations, especially on Tet holiday, resulting in the illegal trade of this item, mostly from the Chinese market. Seriously, the use of fireworks and firecrackers has caused casualties and waste of money.

However, people need to buy sparklers from legal sources, said Lawyer Nguyen Huu Toai, director of Hung Dong Law Firm. “Users need to buy fireworks at companies licensed by police or facilities that are under the management of the Ministry of Defense,” he told Kinh te & Do thi.

Any other firework supply source is deemed to be illegal while personal and organizational production and trade of fireworks are all banned, Lawyer Nguyen Huu Toai emphasized.

Lawmaker Duong Trung Quoc supported the legality of sparklers, saying that its civil use was “very common” for generations.

He also mentioned the necessity of when, where, and duration of the sparkler shooting to make it safe and in line with social norms, Tuoi Tre reported.

The famous historian attributed his advocacy to the long-lasting habit of using sparklers that he called it “culture”. He believed that better awareness of safety and better management will make the use of sparklers more meaningful.