Disagree with Eric. Lead must be handled with caution.
I never said that lead should be handled without caution. I said the toxicity of elemental lead is overstated.
Elemental (metallic) lead is not easily absorbed by the body. If you ingest any, the vast majority will pass right on through. Lead salts (a class of compounds containing lead), on the other hand, are water soluable and are absorbed through the digestive tract. Lead Acetate (a.k.a. sugar of lead) was once used as a sweetener in food - with disasterous results. Lead paint is particularly dangerous for children because (1) it tastes sweet, and (2) the lead interferes with proper brain development.
As a bullet caster, I've handled a lot of lead - way more than anybody will ever get from a pen. I take simple and reasonable precautions that keep my blood lead-level below average.
Of course, none of that matters when a customer insists on a lead-free pen. Even melting out the lead may not be sufficient, since trace amounts will still be present. If your reseller wants to avoid posting "this product contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause ...", then you may simply have to avoid jacketed bullets.
Regards,
Eric