Tear gas
Tear gas is the name for a number of chemical compounds. They are not actually gases.[1] They are fine powders or mists of liquid. The chemicals are acidic and cause pain in the eyes. Tear gas may cause temporary blindness for up to 45 minutes. Tear gas is commonly used by police to control crowds. Phenacyl chloride (CN) liquid and CS powder are two of the chemicals that are often found in tear gas. Pepper spray is another chemical compound that acts very similarly and is sometimes used to control crowds.
Tear gas is a chemical weapon, and was used as a weapon in the First World War. The 1925 Geneva Protocol is not specific enough about the use of irritating agents, such as tear gas in war. The Chemical Weapons Convention, of 1992 prohibits the use of tear gas for warfare. The use as a riot control agent is not covered by the treaty.
Problems of using tear gas
The use of tear gas also has problems:[2][3] Usually, cartidges of tear gas are thrown; they can hit and injure people.[4] A case of serious injury to the blood vessels from tear gas shells has also been reported from Iran, with high rates of associated nerve injury (44%) and amputation (17%),[5] as well as instances of head injuries in young people.[6] Directly exposing skin to tear gas may lead to chemical burns and allergic reactions of the skin.
In the short term, the medical consequences are usually limited to skin inflammation. delayed complications are also possible: people with respiratory conditions such as asthma are likely to need medical attention[7] and may sometimes require hospitalization or even ventilation support.[8] Skin exposure to CS may cause chemical burns[9] or induce allergic contact dermatitis.[7][10] When people are hit at close range or are severely exposed, eye injuries involving scarring of the cornea can lead to a permanent loss in visual acuity.[11] Frequent or high levels of exposure carry increased risks of respiratory illness.[12]
Tear Gas Media
Tear gas in use in France 2007
2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile is the active agent in CS gas.
Tear gas during the repression of the protest against the El Khomri law (labour law) in Paris, France, 2016.
Fabiola Campillai, a Chilean woman left blind in both eyes by a direct hit of a tear-gas grenade in her face.
Tear gas fired to disperse protesters outside government headquarters during 2014 Hong Kong Protests on 28 September 2014
Tear gas being used against opposition protesters during the 2014 Venezuelan protests
A protester uses a sling to send a tear gas grenade back towards Israeli soldiers during a Palestinian weekly protest in Ni'lin, July 2014
Riot Police fire tear gas to anti-government protesters during Din Daeng Protests on August 2021
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References
- ↑ Rowlatt, Jason. The 'rituals' of the Greek riots. From Our Own Correspondent (2 July 2011)BBC. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
- ↑ Heinrich U. Possible lethal effects of CS tear gas on Branch Davidians during the FBI raid on the Mount Carmel compound near Waco, Texas. Prepared for The Office of Special Counsel John C. Danforth (September 2000).
- ↑ Tear gas—harassing agent or toxic chemical weapon?. JAMA 262 (5) (August 1989). p. 660–3. doi:10.1001/jama.1989.03430050076030.
- ↑ Lethal head injury due to tear-gas cartridge gunshots. Forensic Sci. Int. 137 (1) (October 2003). p. 45–51. doi:10.1016/S0379-0738(03)00282-2.
- ↑ Wani, ML. Vascular injuries caused by tear gas shells: surgical challenge and outcome.. Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences 36 (1) (Mar 2011). p. 14–7.
- ↑ Wani, AA. Head injury caused by tear gas cartridge in teenage population.. Pediatric Neurosurgery 46 (1) (2010). p. 25–8. doi:10.1159/000314054.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Schep, LJ. Riot control agents: the tear gases CN, CS and OC—a medical review.. Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps 161 (2) (Dec 30, 2013). p. 94–9. doi:10.1136/jramc-2013-000165.
- ↑ Carron, PN. Management of the effects of exposure to tear gas. BMJ 338 (19 June 2009). p. b2283. doi:10.1136/bmj.b2283.
- ↑ CS exposure—clinical effects and management. J Accid Emerg Med 16 (3) (May 1999). p. 168–70. doi:10.1136/emj.16.3.168.
- ↑ Smith, J. The use of chemical incapacitant sprays: a review. J Trauma 52 (3) (March 2002). p. 595–600. doi:10.1097/00005373-200203000-00036. Retrieved 24 June 2013.[dead link]
- ↑ Eye injuries caused by tear-gas hand weapons. Acta Ophthalmol (Copenh) 53 (6) (December 1975). p. 908–13. doi:10.1111/j.1755-3768.1975.tb00410.x.
- ↑ Rothenberg, C. Tear gas: an epidemiological and mechanistic reassessment.. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1378 (1) (August 2016). p. 96–107. doi:10.1111/nyas.13141.
