<P> Those holding a federal explosives license, which can be obtained from and is issued by the local ATF authorities, may potentially be allowed to purchase M - 80s . Federal and state officials sometimes distribute them to farmers to scare away wildlife encroaching on their crops . </P> <P> Many firecrackers sold legally in the United States to consumers bear names and designations indicating the original "M - 80", such as for example "M - 80 Firecracker", "M - 8000", or "M - ##" (where ##is a number), those differ from the actual "M - 80" as in they are subject to the regulations with regard to the sale of explosives and fireworks to the general public . These firecrackers most commonly have a small capsule with up to 50 mg of powder and a fuse in it . Surrounding the capsule is plaster or a similar material, and finally a red tube and two plastic endcaps . Because of the size of these firecrackers, buyers are occasionally deceived into thinking that the entire tube is full . Also the fuse, at times, protrudes from the ends of these firecrackers, as opposed to the middle of the tube in real M - 80s . Genuine M - 80s have paper endcaps, and contain 50--60 times more powder . </P> <P> Contrary to urban legend, an M - 80 that contains 3,000 mg of powder is not equivalent to a quarter - stick of dynamite . Dynamite generally contains a stable nitroglycerin based high explosive, whereas M - 80s or any other kind of firecracker contains a low explosive powder, like flash powder or black powder . Some illicits, however, contain (ed), or were reported to contain, small amounts of picric acid (similar to TNT), for greater effect . </P> <P> Cases of documented injuries and accidents accompanied civilian M - 80 use during the 1950s and 1960s, and still occur, as M - 80s are still produced and sold to the public . There have been documented cases of users losing their fingers or hands . </P>

Is a m80 a quarter stick of dynamite