The pilots are reporting high-power (assumed given the distance they are at) green lasers -- not 5 mW red lasers. So what does your statement about the harmlessness of 5 mW red lasers have to do with the news stories about the pilots getting painted with green lasers?
I don't recall mentioning "red" lasers. Why are you making up stuff?
Common green laser pointers are also 5 mW or less. The same regulations apply.
So how is the potential destructiveness (to Styrofoam) of a laser almost 40 times as powerful as the ones commonly available on street relevant to those who think you can go to Walmart and buy a laser pointer to blow an airliner out of the sky?