Schumer targets danger of laser pointers - NEWS10 ABC: Albany, New York News, Weather, Sports

Schumer targets danger of laser pointers

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - After pilots were targeted by electronic laser pointers from the ground, a senator is targeting the devices.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer is writing federal regulators in a letter released Sunday to crackdown on the use of the pointers outside of their intended use in office presentations.

Schumer says the power light beams shown to be a problem for pilots when the lasers were pointed at them 5,000 feet away.

The Democrat is focusing on the most powerful laser pointers that are being sold online.

He wants to require most pointers to be sold at a lower strength and restrict the sale of the most powerful lasers.

Schumer also wants the Food and Drug Administration to require warning labels making it clear that directing lasers at aircraft is a federal offense.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)