Tear gas is a chemical weapon also known as “demonstration control agents” (DCAs). It's designed to disperse large crowds, typically in outdoor settings. Tear gas contains lachrymatory agents, including CS (2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile), CN (chloroacetophenone), and CR (dibenzoxazepine).
DCAs work by activating a person’s nociceptive nerve fibers. Immediately, a person will feel a burning and itching in their eyes, mouth, and nose. Their skin will itch, and their lungs may feel as though they are burning.
Exposure to DCAs in an enclosed space can be fatal. And although most people survive DCA exposure, studies are finding long-term effects such as disruptions to a woman’s menstrual cycle, pulmonary complications in asthmatics, and ongoing ocular issues.
Tear gas seems to appear in the news globally. In one news story, police used it on protesters in Georgia. In another headline, Federal agents used it during a raid in California. Elsewhere, there are reports of tear ...
