Arizona Legalizes Nunchucks

What’s the story?

• Arizona has lifted its ban on nunchucks, which was put in place during the Kung Fu movie craze of the 1970s.

• Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a law lifting the ban on the martial arts weapon, which were described in legislation as “two or more sticks, clubs, bars or rods to be used as handles, connected by a rope, cord, wire or chain, in the design of a weapon used in connection with the practice of a system of self-defense."
• California and Massachusetts continue to ban nunchucks.

What are people saying?

Supporters of lifting the ban

• "The average person can do far more damage using a baseball bat than nunchucks," Arizona Rep. John Kavanaugh, a Republican, told the Associated Press. "They're not dangerous to anybody. And we really should let kids and adults who want to do martial arts activities legally possess them."

"I find it interesting that a state that allows you to walk around with a gun on your hip worries about nunchucks being a problem," Phoenix karate instructor Shawn Sample told AZFamily.com, alluding to Arizona’s open-carry law.

Opponents of lifting the ban

• Opponents of the bill felt lawmakers should focus their attention on gun violence, not karate weapons.
• “I don’t believe that we are going to see a sudden spike in the use of nunchucks in violent crime,” said Rep. Jennifer Longdon, D-Phoenix. “I think that, overall, this bill is very benign.”

"Instead of figuring out ways that we can save lives, we're wasting time on nunchucks," said Rep. Athena Salman, a Tempe Democrat.

What do you think?

Should California and Massachusetts lifts their ban on nunchucks? Should more states ban more weapons? Take action and tell your reps, then share your thoughts below.

—Josh Herman

(Photo Credit: iStock / ipopba)