Increase in injuries among youth due to illegal fireworks: Doubling of cases of hand and arm amputations
The number of young people who lost a hand, arm, or fingers due to fireworks in the Netherlands has more than doubled over the past year, according to the Netherlands Association for Hand Surgery (NVvH). As of December 17, ten young people had lost their limbs, compared to only four in the same period last year. Since then, two additional cases have been recorded, including a child who lost his hand.
Illegal fireworks of the Cobra 6 type are the main cause of the majority of these injuries. The percentage of incidents related to Cobra 6 has increased from 23% during 2019–2020 to 62% in 2023–2024. The majority of the victims are under 18 years old, with a large portion being under 16 years old, according to the NVvH Association and the Netherlands Association for Plastic Surgery.
The average age of amputation victims has sharply decreased in recent years. In 2020-2021, it was 22 years, while recent figures show it has become 13 years. During last New Year's Eve, 59% of the victims were minors, compared to 46% five years ago. Surgeons confirm that this phenomenon targeting young people is extremely concerning.
To raise awareness, the NVvH association launched a campaign in December, which included a one-armed jacket designed in collaboration with the clothing brand FOUR, popular among teenagers. Plastic surgeon and hand reconstructive surgeon Ernst Smeets explained that the campaign aims to start conversations about the dangers of illegal fireworks and reduce future injuries.
This campaign comes after previous initiatives like the CobraCode campaign, which uses emojis — cobra, bang, and a bicep without a hand — to convey risks to young people in a way they understand. The campaign reflects a shift in approaches to reach young people who increasingly communicate through emojis and have short attention spans, highlighting the urgent need for safety awareness.