What's up with "lead" warning on my new fishing rod?

[BoneHead]

I'm just getting back into fishing after many years. I just dropped by my local fishing shop in Vancouver and picked up a simple compact Okuma trout rod for backcountry camping in Jasper. I got home and noticed that there was a label on the cork handle prominently warning that "this product contains lead which has been know to cause cancer and birth defects etc etc". The salesman claimed all the new rods have this label. Is that right what could possibly be harmful in a fishing rod?

 

[Fisher_dude]

Maybe they use a lead based paint for the colors and such?

 

[Rockfish]

Possibly lead in solder. This is because of the California laws. It is getting to the point where manufactures/importers are putting this label on more and more things to be sure they are in compliance when they sell in California. Especially with stuff made in China and they cannot be sure what may end up in the paint or alloys.

 

[falcon1]

It may not even have any. If they make lead products in the same place, then they may have to put the warning there.