Posted on 08/06/2008 5:11:13 AM PDT by Puppage
(WTNH) -- Paintball guns are sold as a toy or a hobby, but they pack quite a punch. That's leading some to question whether paintball guns should regulated.
Paintballs fired from the gun can travel 300 feet per second and they're capable of causing serious harm.
Since the age of five, Christein Smith has wanted to play for the Yankees, but the 15-year-old All-Star catcher's dreams have been derailed after a backyard game of paintball.
"They were in the middle of a break and he got shot," said Melissa Smith of Portland.
A paintball pellet shattered Chris' right eye.
"Chris was the second patient within several months with the exact same injury, and the exact same result," said ophthalmologist, Dr. Elwin Schwartz.
According to Dr. Schwartz, this game is a growing concern in his industry. He says there are about 1,200 severe eye injuries every year from paintball. Many, like Chris, have permanent loss of vision.
"As long as the guns are loaded and they can be fired, if your helmet's not on, you're at risk," Dr. Schwartz said.
That's Something Chris' mom wants others to be aware of. Now, she's trying to get a bill passed to get the guns registered and locked-up, like other guns. "Send a message to the kids, teenagers, that these guns can cause serious damage," she said.
However, those who play say that won't work. "Registering a gun's not gonna stop those injuries. Enforcing the safety rules and knowing the safety rules are what's gonna prevent injuries," said Scott Potter of Eastern Paintball Supplies.
Potter says 10 million people now play the sport. The guns can be sold to anyone with parental permission or over 18 years old. Kids 10 years old and up are allowed to play at commercial fields and there are safeties on the guns, as well as barrel sleeves and plugs.
Potter says, it's safe if it's done right. "Just like anything, if you don't follow the rules -- or follow the safety rules with something -- anything could be dangerous. A baseball bat, football, anything," he said.
Eastern Paintball Supplies say they stress safety first at their fields and that no one can play, or be near the guns, without a helmet on.
Melissa has now gotten a petition going and she's planning to try to bring her bill up to the General Assembly in November.
“The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools.” - Herbert Spencer
Don't worry, the liberals are already working hard on that one.
Apparently Mom here never watched “A Christmas Story.”
This mother FAILED to do her job and now she wants government to step in and take over her parenting job.
Lady, too bad if you are guilt ridden and now feel you must make amends by going on this specious crusade. Fact is, you did not properly supervise your child, and accidents happen. I am sorry your child was injured, but that does not give you the right to attempt to force the heavy hand of government down the throat of the rest of us because of your personal, family situation.
We must then regulate
Paint Spray GUNs
Nail GUNs
Staple GUN’s
Glue GUN’s
...and I guess they will be consistant and outlaw BeGUN and ShoGUN as well.
What....no BLOgun?
Chalk up one vote for the Obamanation!
So the kid wasn’t wearing goggles and playing paintball? Wonder if he played catcher for his team without a mask?
Think about the hysteria with bicycle helmets laws for children. GOOD GOD!!! When I was younger NO ONE wore those things and out of hundreds of kids I knew in my elementary school, I can never remember any thing really, really bad happening.
He'd probably would have gotten behind the plate without his catcher's mask and taken out the eye anyway.
Yeah, they should put warning labels on those things! On the boxes, ammo and the paintball guns themselves!!!
Huh? What? They already do? nevermind.
Everyone I ever saw playing Paintball was wearing eye protection.
Mom needs to review her own standards of conduct.
People always wonder just how safe paintball is. Well, according to a study by the National Injury Information Clearinghouse of the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, it's safer than bowling. The 2001 study reports that per 1000 participants there are only 0.24 while bowling accounts for 0.47 injuries. The most dangerous sport? Water skiing has 260.84 injuries per 1000 participants.Link
While this study is from 2001, the numbers should still hold true today as the injuries are per 1000 participants and not by total number of injuries. Current figures are unavailable as the CPSC now combines paintball statistics with all shooting sports.
well just duh...
We need to outlaw baseball bats cause my boy got his nose broken by one...any yours truly was whopped broadside in the forehead as well...[when I was about 5, by mom no less, as she was hitting walnuts I walked right into a full swing...maybe thats my problem ...8^P...]
its an epedemic I tell you...
Serious harm like a large red welt?
Quit complaining
I’ve done worse to myself from bike crashes.
All the FReepers who play paintball should get together once each year and have a tournament with all the DUers and KOSers who play paintball.
It would be fun to see if liberals were as bad at paintball as they are at everything else.
I was watching my cousins in a tournament last spring when one of the players tripped and accidentally squeezed the trigger. The pellet hit me in the side of the head and knocked me for a loop. I can see why they require the helmets and face shields.
Heck, when I was younger, we had crabapple fights with slingshots or, before the crabapple “harvest”, we’d just put on some sweats and swimming goggles and have BB-gun wars in the woods.
Spot ON.
Any item that throws any type of projectile is, by its very nature, potentially dangerous.
Safety (and parental supervision of children) is a MUST.
Goobermint laws would not have stopped this accident.
Whatcha wanna bet this “mom” has no husband and is looking for the goobermint to be daddy/spouse?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.