Deadly Toys

California bans manufacture, sale or possession of most martial-arts weapons. So do nearly a dozen other states. But people can still buy them by mail. That assault on state laws would be turned back under legislation proposed by Sens. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.). What has united this ideological odd couple is a concern that more and more criminals are using these weapons and that more and more young people are getting hurt playing with them.

Many Americans have taken up the martial arts for physical fitness or to emulate film and television stars. But with the popularity of the training has come a spread of weapons such as the throwing star, a disk with sharp points and obvious potential for injury, and the nunchaku, two sticks connected by a rope or wire that can bruise or break bones. These weapons often cost less than $10 each. But they cost far more in terms of injuries: The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that in the last five years, more than 100,000 martial-arts-related injuries have been treated in hospital emergency rooms. More than 60% of the victims are between 5 and 24 years old.

“The distribution of these illegal devices goes unchecked because existing federal postal regulations . . . do not yet specifically prohibit sending martial-arts weapons through the mail,” Kennedy said when he introduced the legislation to change that situation.

The Thurmond-Kennedy bill would amend the current ban by adding to the list of prohibited devices three specific martial arts weapons--the nunchaku, the throwing star and a chain with weighted ends known as a manrikigusari. Mail-order sale would be banned to those states such as California that regulate them by prohibiting their sale, possession or manufacture. Ceremonial and collector weapons such as knives and swords that are otherwise allowed in the mails would not be banned under this bill.

At recent hearings both the Postal Service and the Justice Department urged Congress to go even further by banning mail-order sale of these weapons to all states, not just those that already regulate them. That’s sound advice that would help local law enforcement officials.

The ninja warrior has become a glamorized hero for many young people seeking instant thrills. But the damage done by the ninja weapons can last forever. With the potent combination of Thurmond, Kennedy and the Justice Department united behind the legislation, there will be no excuse for Congress not to act to reduce this danger.