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How are laser pointers misused?
Home » Handheld Electronics » Laser Pointers » How are laser pointers misused?Laser experts agree - and your common sense should tell you - that laser pointers should not be used as a toy or for pranks. However it may
(or may not) come as a surprise that school children are not the only ones finding mischievous uses for laser pointers.
A Florida man, for example, was arrested for shining his light around his neighborhood and ended up scanning the ground near a plain-clothed police officer. The Laser Institute of America has also received reports of individuals shining laser pointers at athletes during sporting events and at people as they are driving.
These types of incidents have started to spur government action. In November of 1997, the U.K. banned a certain class of higher-powered pointer from sale. In December, 1997, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued its warning against allowing juveniles to use them.
The FDA requires manufacturers to place a warning on pointers, telling users not to look into the beam. These warnings are small and easy to ignore, however, as evidenced in widespread misuse of the devices.
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