Tear gas is a chemical weapon that is used to control or disperse crowds. It is also known as a lachrymator agent or lachrymator, which means "tear" in Latin. Tear gas generally consists of aerosolized solid or liquid compounds, not gas. The most commonly used form of tear gas is 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile (CS gas) . Tear gas works by irritating mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, mouth, and lungs, causing crying, sneezing, coughing, difficulty breathing, pain in the eyes, and temporary blindness. Symptoms of irritation typically appear after 20 to 60 seconds of exposure and commonly resolve within 30 minutes of leaving the area. Tear gas is usually deployed from canisters, grenades, or pressurized sprays. Despite the name, tear gas isnt a gas, but a pressurized powder that creates a mist when deployed.
Exposure to tear gas can cause skin, respiratory, and eye irritation. Most people recover from tear gas without complications, but people exposed to large doses or who have respiratory complications may be at a heightened risk of developing complications when exposed to tear gas. Children, pregnant women, and the elderly are particularly susceptible to its effects. Toxicity levels can vary according to the product specifications, the quantity used, and the environment it is used in. Tear gas use is harmful, and it should only be used in situations of more generalized violence for the purpose of dispersing a crowd, and only when all other means have failed to contain the violence.
