Georgian doctors are warning against fireworks-related injuries as the New Year approaches.

The first such incident occurred in Mukhaestate village in western Georgia’s Kobuleti Municipality when a firework landed on a petrol tank, creating an explosion, and injuring a 10-year-old child. He was admitted to the Tbilisi Burn Centre.

“The patient has suffered 10% body damage. At this point, his condition is stable,” said Guga Kashibadze, the center’s director.

Sparklers, according to physicians, cause head, face, and ear damage. Bidzina Kanashvili, an orthopedist-traumatologist at Iashvili Children’s Central Hospital, advises parents to ditch fireworks.

“We do not recommend, even with the observance of precautions to allow children to use fireworks,” Kanashvili was quoted as saying.

Over 20,000 persons recently submitted a petition to prohibit the sale of fireworks, claiming that in January 2023, 87 people, including 19 kids, were hurt as a result of it. Private property damage incidents were also recorded.

According to the petition’s authors, purchasing and selling, having, and using pyrotechnics is unregulated, and residents fail to observe safety precautions while using low-quality explosives.

“Fireworks should be prohibited. We never buy them since they are harmful to children, the environment, and animals,” Natia Tamazashvili explained.

“I think it should be banned as users don’t know the rules which leads to unfortunate consequences,” Nino Pataridze added.

For years, there has been discussion on the necessity to tighten legislation to solve the very problem. The opposition party Lelo introduced the most recent bill on this topic in parliament, which calls for a ban on fireworks.

The legislative majority claims to be working on the creation of a specific regulation on this subject.