CLEVELAND -- As they put up holiday lights this year, some people are noticing something very strange on their new packages of lights – a label warning about possible hazardous chemicals in the lights.

NewsChannel5's John Matarese reported that despite the warning label, the lights are not dangerous.

Al Shelton went to buy some lights for outside his house, but found a label on the boxes warning about the lights' wires containing lead.

The label read, "Handling these coated electric wires in this product exposes you to lead, a chemical known in California to cause cancer, birth defects or harm. Wash hands after use."

"I thought, gee, back in the 70s we took lead out of paint, and it's illegal to put it in housing, and I thought it was impossible to buy lead paint in this country, so why now do we have a lead warning?" said Shelton.

It turns out it's part of a new California law, called Proposition 65, requiring anything sold in the state containing the tiniest amount of lead to carry a warning.

Nothing has changed with the lights, which use a lead coating under the plastic as an insulator.

The U.S. government says they are not a hazard in normal use.

It's up for debate how much, if any, lead you can come in contact with from handling lights.

But to be safe, Matarese advises washing your hands after putting up lights, a tree, or even some ornaments.