Well I was reading a news article that lead me to believe that paintball and bb guns being used in the wrong way is not just happening in my home town.  This article was talking about how it is  problem in another state.  I think that this problem is spreading more and more everyday! 

"They ask us, is it safe, is there any way to get hurt, what we tell them is, if you can't trust your kid, don't get them a gun," says Scott Potter.In this article it talks about not buying your child/teen a gun like this if you do not trust them... however I think most parents trust there child/ teen so I do not think this is the matter we should address!!!!  I think that most of the incidents that have caused injuries were done by those children/teens that are "trusted"! 

You never know what your child could be planning, wanting to experience, or the influence they are getting.  So you could prepare for the worst and plan for the best... When I say prepare for the worst, I mean to warn your child/teen of the dangers behind the "toy" and the cosequences if they use it in the wrong way.   "Potter does not sell air guns to anyone under 18 and teaches responsibility to both parents and kids about owning the guns but in the end, if used properly he says they are a whole lot of fun."  This quote goes to show that he is planning ahead and does not judge each person he sells one to, he simply warns evveryone ahead of time.

 I think there was some common sence to what David DiGiovanni has to say in his artical. He has a semi-realistic view on second hand smoking, with some inconciderate ideas to make me wonder, " do i need to sacrifice my health for your smoking habit?".

 The current law is you must be 30 feet away from the non- smoking building to light up, but he thinks this is wrong. His opinion is the law should be 50 feet away due to the health hazards of second hand smoke. He goes on to say how easily second hand smoke can be prevented, and that especially in the out doors you can find refuge away from the smothering smoke by distancing yourself. I say, "why should I?". I am the one who is making the choice for my health so if smoke is coming my way i will move, but I dont think I should be the one who has to. Another person chooses to smoke knowingly deadly chemicals and I am the one who is in the wrong by being within there smoke cloud.

David concradicts himself in the  end of the article saying the non-smokers need to lighten up, and get out the way. When he said earlier that the laws  should be more strict. He says himself its a health hazard, but we should just stand there and take it!?

Its just wrong in my books, and others feel the same way too thats why we have a public smoking ban.

  Did you know that cigeretes have over 4,000 chemicals, many of these are know to be harmful and cause cancers. Here are some things that they have in them bet you didn't see these coming.

  Formaldehyde, this is what is used to preserve dead bodies. Acetone, this is what takes off your nailpolish girls.Carbon Monoxide, this comes out of the exaust pipe of your car.  Hydrogen Cyanide, poison in the gas chambers.Arsenic, yup thats right rat poison, and Nicotine the most addictive substance there is according to quit- smoking stop.

  These chemicals are things we use in everyday life, but in  a very different way. I think by educating people of these truths we can help other quit too. I also think we should educate children on every aspect of smoking because after all it is the most addictive habit there is.

So as I have read some more articles I have come to realize that this has been a problem for a while but now it is on the rise.  "While aggravated assaults increased from 128 last year to 156—with 111 reported in 2004—most of the incidents accounting for this year’s rise were paintball attacks on pedestrians and motorists in which no injuries were recorded beyond bruises and welts." It is crazy in my eyes how people are getting hurt by these so called toys on a daily basis!  Like thie article I have linked you to in the beginning, is based on statistics that were posted in Dec. of 2006.  Do you think it is a matter of putting a law on these guns or a matter of kids and parents being more aware of the dangers?  

Now, many people have the question of, "how can we stop the crime?"  But in my eyes I do not think it will ever be put to a stop but the rates could  very possible be reduced.  In my opinion I think the only way to reduce this rate is to make the community more aware of the dangers behind these toys.

In this article I found some information that might be well worth reading when thinking of purchasing a paintball gun, weither you are a parent or a teen buying one.  There are some facts that could lead you to not buy one unless you are involved in the sport. Like this quote got my to say ..."wow"... "Most paintball guns shoot a 68 caliber paint pellet. The pellet is a thin plastic shell filled with a water soluble paint. Guns shoot the pellets at a speed of 200 to 300 feet per second. Since the paint pellets are fairly light (only weighing a few grams each), they have little momentum while in flight, and thus are not lethal like the heavy lead projectiles fired from conventional firearms."  As you will find out there is more power behind these toys then we could ever imagine!