How does laser misuse compare with knife misuse?
Handheld lasers are sometimes compared with knives and blades. Both objects have legitimate uses, and yet both can be misused to cause accidental injuries and even deliberate attacks. There are various types and sizes of knives, just as there are different powers and colors of lasers. Some types of blades (switchblades, sharp swords) may be banned or regulated as being too dangerous, just as there have been calls to ban or regulate some types of lasers. Obviously there are differences as well. Lasers can annoy or harm at a distance, while knives are close-in weapons. On the other hand, handheld lasers cannot severely injure (except eyes, in rare instances) or directly kill a person. Society feels that the usefulness of knives outweighs the dangers. What are those dangers? Here are some statistics. • Deaths: In the U.S. in 2009, 1,825 people were murdered by assailants using “knives or cutting instruments”, according to the FBI. • Assaults: In Britain in 2008, there were almost 130,000
