Are Orbeez guns illegal in Florida or not; know the consequences of using Orbeez guns—expected penalties in Florida for breaking the toy gun laws.
Orbeez gun controversies have caught fire recently as it is all over the news and newspapers. There is always a debate whether they are legal or not, safe or not. However, Orbeez guns are fun toys; there are many serious situations of public harm, which made this statement jeopardized.
Every state in America has its stance on toy guns and their usage. So, talking about Florida, are Orbeez guns illegal in Florida or not? Recently, the cases of harm caused by Orbeez guns have increased, making law enforcement authorities take serious action against the situation.
Explore with me what Florida laws have to say about the legality of Orbeez guns in the state and what are the consequences of breaking these laws.
Orbeez Laws in Florida in the Past
Talking about the legality of Orbeez guns in Florida is somewhat complex. There is no hard written rule about the possession and use of fake guns, but due to a recent incident, the state had to reconsider.
According to the previous law in Florida under Florida Statutes Section 790.001(4), the imitation of a firearm is a device that looks like a firearm but does not use a firearm. So, there is nothing regarding the ban on look-a-like toys.
The Harms of Orbeez Challenge
As I have discussed earlier, the challenge caused the Florida law enforcement department to reconsider the state laws regarding the possession and use of toy guns. On March 16, 2022, a kid was caught shooting strangers and public property using a BB gun.
In Volusia County, a group of teenagers violated public rules of citizen safety when they opened an Orbeez fire in a public park. The Sheriff said, “Orbeez are designed for educational, creative, and sensory play and are not intended to be used as projectiles or inserted in mechanisms.”
Captain Micheal Sommer of the Ocala Police Department stated that the department recorded four cases in the past month. He informed the media that “the concern is — obviously, first and foremost — is injuries, and secondly, there can be criminal nature to this, depending on the circumstances, and people could get arrested.”
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Florida’s Current Approach to Toy Guns
The state of Florida has taken serious action regarding toy guns in the past year; the law not only particularly focuses on Orbeez but overall toy guns in general. The spectrum of regulations is broad enough to cover all the harmful toy guns, not only Orbeez.
Under Section 790.222 of Florida Statutes, the use and possession of any kind of toy gun, like BB guns, air or gas-operated guns, and electric weapons or devices, by minors under the age of 16 is forbidden.
When underage kids irresponsibly use toy guns, it causes a threat to public safety. In the case of any harm or violation of the rules publically, minors and their guardian can face consequences like detention of up to five days, 100 hours of community service, freezing of the driver’s license of the guardian, and delay of driver’s license issuance.
The Risk of Lethal Misunderstandings
You might wonder why there is a need to publish such strict laws and penalties to the users. This might not look risky to a person seeing the situation through their mobile screen, but the use of these guns causes many misunderstandings.
Suppose you are in public and someone points a gun at you; given their designs, they seem exactly like real ones. It will cause panic, and in many cases, police have launched a fire on the person carrying it, mistaking it for a real gun. This situation caused many deaths on the spot of many victims.
FAQs
What weapons are illegal in Florida?
In Florida, people cannot have short barrels, shotguns, machine guns, and short-barreled rifles. You need a proper license to keep any firearms in Florida.
Does it hurt to get hit with an Orbeez gun?
No, they do not make you hurt, although you may feel a little sting on your skin when Orbeez comes in contact. The tendency to sting is not more than when a rubber band hits the skin.
Are Orbeez guns illegal in NYC?
Gel beads water guns driven by air pumps, which makes them air rifles, are illegal in New York. If you are guilty of breaking the law and possessing such an item, you will face serious penalties.
Conclusion
Now that you know, are Orbeez guns illegal in Florida or not? Florida has strict rules when it comes to the use of Orbeez guns in public. If you are a minor under 16, you cannot own or use an Orbeez gun or any toy gun in a public place. Supervision of adults/guardians is compulsory. You would face serious consequences with your guardians upon violating the toy gun rules.
Florida or not, you should not play with such toys in public as they cause severe threats to people and can be misunderstood as real weapons.
Raymond Hansen is an Orbeez product expert with years of experience reviewing and testing the latest Orbeez toys and products. With a passion for water-based toys, Raymond has become an expert in the Orbeez industry, known for his thorough and insightful product reviews.