What started out in 1985 as "friendly fire" between neighbors has since grown into the largest marshmallow fight in the western United States.

The annual 4th of July marshmallow fight has gotten so big, according to local residents, that it's turning Ocean Beach into a great big hot and sticky mess.  But this year, the San Diego Police Department will be on the lookout for would-be candy tossers- and those who break the rules could find themselves in hot water.

Last year, several people were hurt and nearly 2,400 pounds of trash needed to be collected off sidewalks, streets and the beach, and that is why the Ocean Beach Town Council has moved to quash it.  They're even asking local businesses to not sell marshmallows in the days and weeks leading up to the 4th of July.

Some marshmallow war fans say they won't be dissuaded.  Not only can they get their sticky ammo elsewhere, but the SDPD is no match for a crowd of thousands.  The fun, they said, will go on.

Others are going to far as to taunt the department, suggesting they're not going to do a gosh darn thing about it.  "What will they do", one resident asked, "are they going to arrest a ton of people?"   She, at least, thinks not.

For now, what will happen remains a bit of a mystery, but if San Diego Police feel things are starting to get out of hand, there are a handful of possible outcomes.

The first involves them writing and passing out a bunch of tickets, which would likely come with some pretty hefty fines.   Or, if people are especially rowdy, they could be arrested for vandalism, disturbing the peace or in some cases, public intoxication (provided they've been drinking).

If someone gets hurt by a flying marshmallow, the thrower could find themselves facing assault charges, which means the defendant would need to post bail bonds if they want to get out of jail.

At this point, there are still a lot of moving parts in the equation so the outcome is too close to call.  But if residents want to make sure they don't find themselves on the wrong side of a sticky situation, they may want to steer clear of the beach once the fireworks come to an end.

Read the full story here: Ocean Beach Stuck On Fate Of Annual Marshmallow War