The M-80 firecracker is a military explosive that was designed to simulate artillery firing and other explosives for training purposes. It is not a toy for backyard use, but it seems that some people are using them to prank their neighbors, with potentially dangerous results. A 58-year-old South Daytona man recently threw an M-80 at his neighbor’s dog, injuring the animal and possibly amputating one of its legs. Police say that the dachshund was chasing a cat that was in the neighbor’s yard when the M-80 went off, sending it running into the street. The injured dog was rushed to the animal hospital, where its leg is in danger of being amputated.

A police report shows that the dachshund was being “anxious and aggressive” when the explosion took place. The pet’s owner, Madison Carroll, says the explosion blew off one of its legs and caused the animal to lose balance. He says he fired the M-80 at the dog after it had escaped his property and was running around his neighbor’s yard. He has been charged with possession of an illegal weapon and a felony animal cruelty charge.

M-80s are illegal in the United States, and even if they are sold legally, it is against the law to possess or use them. They are relatively primitive in appearance and lack the warning labels required by federal law to be posted on all fireworks products. They also contain more than 50 milligrams of pyrotechnic composition per cracker, which makes them illegal for sale or use in the U.S., except by those holding federal explosives licenses.

The m80 military origins are part of what make it such a destructive tool, as it is meant to replicate the effects of artillery fire and other explosives during wartime. In fact, the military used to require all M-80s to be dated, so that they could be traced back to the manufacturer and disposed of accordingly. This was done to help reduce accidents due to misuse of the device.

Fireworks such as M-80s, along with the much less powerful cherry bombs, are a form of illegal explosive, and anyone caught selling them or using them faces stiff fines. Ethical fireworks sellers go out of their way to avoid them, but they can still show up in the most unexpected places.

Earlier this year, Perdomo Cigars became the latest company to release a cigar in their Firecracker Series. The short three-inch robusto features a blend created by Don Pepin Garcia. The flavors start out with notes of earth, wood, nut and sweet grapefruit that are joined by a layer of black pepper on the retro-hale. As the cigar progresses, the earth and nut flavors move into the forefront with a natural tobacco sweetness appearing in the background. The pepper continues to grow in intensity throughout the second third, with the tobacco becoming more dominant in the final stage. This is a solid, enjoyable cigar that would be perfect to enjoy while watching the fourth of July fireworks.