The Village Board Monday night made Richton Park the latest suburb to limit the possession or use of laser pointers.
Officials said the devices have been shown to cause injuries, including temporary flash blindness and headaches. They also said police can mistake laser beams for gun-sighting devices.
The board unanimously passed an ordinance prohibiting the possession or use of laser pointers by anyone under the age of 18 unless it is in their own home. The sale of a laser pointer to anyone under the age of 18 also is forbidden.
The ordinance also makes it illegal for any person to aim a laser pointer at any person, animal or object outside of buildings. Use of laser pointers also is banned in any place of public assembly unless authorized by the place’s owner or operator.
The new law also specifically makes it unlawful to point a laser beam at vehicle drivers or law enforcement officers.
Misuse of laser pointers has not been a problem in Richton Park, but police said there were incidents where youths pointed laser beams at motorists.
