Fireworks injuries more than doubled in Iowa in the four years since a 2017 law legalized their sale and use by consumers, with far more children getting hurt and more patients requiring amputation, according to state data and a new study.
Emergency room visits stemming from fireworks-related injuries rose to an annual average of 147 from 2017 through 2020, according to Iowa Department of Public Health data obtained Thursday. That's a 114% increase from the state average of 69 over the previous four years.
A new study found that the state's two largest trauma centers have seen notable increases since bottle rockets, roman candles and other consumer explosives became legal.