Tear gas - dangerous non-lethal weapon

Weapons such as rubber bullets, stun grenades or tear gas, even though they are called non-lethal weapons, can also be significantly dangerous.

What is tear gas?

Concerned about the chemicals that can be used as weapons, Professor Janice Chambers and her team at Mississippi State University are conducting research to develop treatments for some of these chemicals.

The term tear gas refers to a group of chemical irritants that can be used to control or disperse crowds. The chemicals used for this purpose irritate the mucous membranes and eyes, leading to phenomena including tearing (hence the name tear gas), seizures around the eyes, coughing, shortness of breath, and skin irritation. .

Pepper gas refers to a group of chemical irritants that can be used to control or disperse crowds.

They are thought to be short-term irritants and are unlikely to kill or cause permanent damage, especially if used in relatively low concentrations, on a single occasion and in open spaces. However, at high concentrations in enclosed spaces, these chemicals are strong enough to kill.

These chemicals are solids, not gases, but can be dispersed as aerosols in pyrotechnic mixtures during explosions or in solutions dispensed in the form of spray. There are many tear gas chemicals, the most popular being 2 -chlorobenzalmalonitrile, or CS for short , named after Ben Corson and Roger Stoughton, the American chemists invented it in 1928. CS was used as Official military violence control chemicals in 1959. There have been many instances of tear gas use around the world.

How does tear gas work?

These chemicals respond to sensory nerve receptors that can cause pain and discomfort in the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. The reaction occurs almost immediately, but the discomfort that the chemical causes usually goes away in about 30 minutes to a few hours.

At low concentrations and occasional exposure, tear gas is not likely to cause permanent damage. They have been used by the military for years to train the use of gas masks. There is some evidence of human injury in the long-term effects report, mainly due to high exposure in indoor and long-term situations.

Is tear gas a chemical weapon?

The 1993 International Convention of Chemical Weapons in Geneva banned the use of tear gas in the event of military forces at war. However, several countries, including the United States, have approved the use of tear gas to control civil riots and control the crowds of non-military people.

Does tear gas increase the risk of Covid-19? Because tear gas stimulates the lungs and Covid-19 is primarily a respiratory disease, will people who are exposed to tear gas be at higher risk for Covid-19?

Corona virus, the culprit of the current pandemic is a new strain of virus, with no history or precedent telling us whether exposure to tear gas will increase the incidence of the disease. If exposed to tear gas for a brief period of time, the affected individual who is otherwise healthy and the unpleasant effect ends quickly, it is reasonable to conclude that the incidence of Corona virus infection will not increase. , based on tear gas usage history with relatively few long-term consequences.