The Laser Pointer Ban in Australia

Your story makes no mention of the reason for the possible ban of these laser pointers except to report that they could be used for “mass murder”.
Your attempted humorous slant to the story forgot to add that the reason they could be used for “mass murder” were the numerous attacks on pilots of passenger aircraft coming in to land causing temporary blindness and putting the lives of these passengers and crew at risk.

This is just more knee-jerk reaction to a few idiots. If you have stricter laws that severely punish those who pull stupid stunts like this, set up some stings, and enforce laws that are already on the books, you won’t have this sort of problem!

Do I need to say this? I think I do: If laser pointers are outlawed, only outlaws will have laser pointers!

On another note, many pens have laser pointers in them as part of their design. Do you really expect the Australian authorities to look at every single Pen on the off chance it might have a laser pointer built in?

Keep in mind: I’m not dismissing the danger here of pointing a laser pointer or group of laser pointers at an aircraft trying to land - merely the overreaction to something that could easily be fixed if a few things are done:

Step up law enforcement patrols around airport perimeters; set up some stings; punish those who do this nonsense publicly; and fine them severely!

No need to ban an otherwise useful, and in responsible adult hands: useful tool.

BlackWolf

The reason is that idiots have been shining high powered lasers (those used in the building industry, astronomy, etc), into the c*ckpits of planes approaching airports. Fortunately there have been no fatalities; unfortunately not many arrests because of the difficulty locating the idiots doing it.

They are not what you are probably thinking of. Laser pointers used to be red with a light output of just 1-5 mW.

The new green beams cost much the same, but can reach 300 mW. These will pop balloons and being green coloured, are deeply absobed by red and blue coloured things, like blood vessels. Imagine the damage these do to eyes? Idiots shining them into your pet’s eyes even?

Not just planes and helicopters, imagine them shone into your eyes at a busy junction, or in fast moving traffic.

These should not be allowed outside the optics lab as regretably, the few idiots mean everyone who could legitamately use them, has to suffer.