Back in the 1970s, my Dad was a regional distributor for a large fireworks company in CA. Every so often the dems in the state Assembly would attempt to ban everything including sparklers state-wide. Dad would attend some of those Assembly meetings to get a look at who the antagonists were. At the forefront of that ban-everything effort was Willie Brown, who`d rail on about “people not needin` no fireworks.”
Not necessarily a big deal to most people except during the 4th of July, but for those whose livelihoods depended on that industry, it mattered greatly.
You bring back many memories with that one. Chinese firecrackers, Cherry bombs, bottle rockets etc etc. Too much fun. It was as you say, after that, we had to drive out to the desert or even Nevada to purchase. July 4 was never the same!
Of course they were illegal in our county so I swear I never ever did participate and I promised not to do it again. /s