BOSTON — A fireworks company has been ordered to stop mailing advertisements and coupons to residents in Massachusetts, where fireworks are illegal, according to the state’s attorney general.
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced her office would send a cease and desist letter to Phanton Fireworks in a tweet Wednesday.
Phantom Fireworks knows that its products are illegal in Massachusetts, and yet is still aggressively advertising here.
— Maura Healey (@MassAGO) July 1, 2020
Today, my office is sending a cease and desist letter to Phantom, demanding the company immediately stop advertising to our residents. pic.twitter.com/Q1D802CxoF
“Phantom Fireworks knows that its products are illegal in Massachusetts, and yet is still aggressively advertising here,” Healey said. “Phantom Fireworks has been mailing advertisements and discount coupons to residences across Massachusetts highlighting the proximity of its New Hampshire retail stores to Boston and Springfield and encouraging residents to celebrate July Fourth ‘in backyards across America.‘”
People all across Greater Boston area complaining of nightly fireworks
The move comes as complaints of fireworks in Massachusetts towns and cities have skyrocketed over the summer months.
“Yeah it definitely has been going on,” said Bobby Bryant, of Dorchester.
Bryant was at Phantom Fireworks in Londonderry, New Hampshire on Wednesday with a friend from the Granite state who is buying fireworks. He’s also seen the ads Phantom is sending to Massachusetts residents.
“I didn’t personally get one but I’ve seen them a few times,” said Bryant. “Why should they give us coupons in Massachusetts if you can’t come to New Hampshire and buy them?”
While Bryant said he was not bringing any fireworks home, there were several cars with Masssachuetts license plates were in the Phantom Fireworks parking lot. People loading up and presumably heading back across the border to Massachusetts.
There’s been no clear explanation for the seeming increase in firework usage over the past few months.
Fireworks are illegal in Massachusetts -- both to sell and possess. Nevertheless, Phantom Fireworks has been advertising across Massachusetts for stores in neighboring states.
“Phantom Fireworks knows its products are illegal in Massachusetts, yet we are hearing that residents are getting their advertisements in the mail,” said AG Healey. “We sent a cease and desist to stop this intentional marketing scheme and prevent more of these unsafe products from being brought into our neighborhoods.”
It is not currently illegal for the company to advertise in Massachusetts. However, AG Healey’s release states her office is considering the mailed advertisements “intentional offers to sell Massachusetts residents fireworks for use within Massachusetts, which is illegal under state law.”
As a courtesy to the AG’s office, an attorney for Phantom Fireworks LLC told Boston 25 they stopped further mailings in the state. However, their statement ended with a sharp point, saying:
“We find it ironic that Massachusetts, the birthplace of former U.S. president John Adams, the author of the most iconic fireworks quote in American history, is the only state in the U.S. that totally bans the use of consumer fireworks.”
Ads for Phantom Fireworks have aired on Boston 25 News in recent weeks.
Complaints over fireworks skyrocketing across Massachusetts
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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