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US: Second Ocean City NJ vote against pointers makes laser ban official
Laser pointers over 1 milliwatt are now officially banned from sale and possession in Ocean City, New Jersey. The resort town’s council voted unanimously and without discussion on July 14 2011. The council’s “second reading” confirms a June 23 initial vote against laser pointers and thus the ban now goes into effect. Violators will be fined up to $500 for a first offense, and up to $1000 and 30 days in jail for any subsequent offense.
The action comes in response to widespread laser pointer misuse against aircraft, vehicles and persons. The devices had been inexpensively available in Boardwalk stores. A voluntary ban on sales last summer did not help stem the incidents, due in part to merchants who continued to sell pointers. (Some stores reported that laser pointers were their top sellers.)
Ocean City’s power limit of 1 milliwatt is five times lower than the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s 5 mW limit on lasers that can be sold for pointing purposes. It is equivalent to England and some other countries that set a 1 mW limit for pointers.
From the Ocean City Patch.
Related LaserPointerSafety.com news stories about Ocean City and New Jersey laser troubles
Ocean City’s power limit of 1 milliwatt is five times lower than the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s 5 mW limit on lasers that can be sold for pointing purposes. It is equivalent to England and some other countries that set a 1 mW limit for pointers.
From the Ocean City Patch.
Related LaserPointerSafety.com news stories about Ocean City and New Jersey laser troubles
- August 26 2010: Ocean City officials discuss city-wide ban on laser pointers after summer incidents.
- November 22 2010: State senate bill 2430 is introduced in November 2010 to ban laser pointers above 1 milliwatt.
- June 8 2011: Man buys laser in Ocean City, points it at helicopter, and is almost immediately arrested.
- June 11 2011: Residents report harassment; voluntary sales ban is not working.
- June 24 2011: Unanimous vote on the initial measure to ban Ocean City laser pointer sales and possession.
- July 14 2011: Unanimous vote on the “second reading” to make the Ocean City ban official.
- April 16 2013: North Wildwood NJ bans sale and possession of laser pointers above 1 mW.
- August 20 2013: New Jersey state legislature passes bill to ban laser pointer sales above 1 mW; sends bill to Governor for signature.
- October 17 2013: Governor Chris Christie vetoes bill to ban laser pointer sales, saying the 1 mW power limit was “arbitrary” and there was no criminal use of lasers between 1 mW and the federal limit of 5 mW in New Jersey.