The president of the German Medical Association, Klaus Reinhardt, has urgently called for a ban on fireworks on New Year's Eve. The federal and state interior ministers must “finally take action and protect the population from the dangers of fireworks,” Reinhardt told the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND). “Unregulated fireworks repeatedly lead to serious injuries, even to bystanders, frighten many people, are bad for the climate, and cause enormous amounts of waste.”
“No one has anything against organized fireworks displays in central locations, but uncontrolled fireworks must be banned,” the physician demanded. “This has nothing to do with a culture of prohibition, but rather demonstrates the insight of a mature society to refrain from something dangerous,” argued the president of the medical association.
He explained that every year, numerous people suffer injuries from exploding fireworks. Children and young people are often affected by blast trauma. In addition, there are eye injuries and burns. “This fills hospital emergency rooms and costs the statutory health insurance system millions,” said Reinhardt. In addition, firecrackers are repeatedly used as weapons against the police, fire department, and rescue workers.
In Reinhardt's view, it is also completely inappropriate to welcome the New Year with fireworks when more than a million war refugees from countries such as Ukraine and Syria are living in Germany. “Many of them have experienced bombs and grenades in their home countries. New Year's Eve fireworks often trigger fear of death,” warned the president of the medical association.
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