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For some inexplicable reason, Elon Musk began selling a $500 flamethrower on The Boring Company's website last year. New York legislators have responded by passing a bill that makes owning a flamethrower a felony.
Lawmakers didn't like the idea of people running around with a potentially dangerous weapon. The fact that Musk managed to sell all 20,000 in less than a week didn't help matters.
“They were concerned that people were essentially having something that looks like a toy, is being billed as something fun to use, and there was all different stuff coming up on social media showing people really using the device as intended, which is to have fun,” Reid said. “Unfortunately, firing out a burst of flame for a number of feet can have some really horrific, unintended consequences.”
Interestingly, Musk's flamethrower isn't technically a flamethrower. “It’s just a roofing torch in an airsoft gun shell.”
New York officials say the bill does include it, however.
Lawmakers didn't like the idea of people running around with a potentially dangerous weapon. The fact that Musk managed to sell all 20,000 in less than a week didn't help matters.
“They were concerned that people were essentially having something that looks like a toy, is being billed as something fun to use, and there was all different stuff coming up on social media showing people really using the device as intended, which is to have fun,” Reid said. “Unfortunately, firing out a burst of flame for a number of feet can have some really horrific, unintended consequences.”
Interestingly, Musk's flamethrower isn't technically a flamethrower. “It’s just a roofing torch in an airsoft gun shell.”
New York officials say the bill does include it, however.