A 2014 survey by the US military also found exposure to tear gas and pepper spray Makes people vulnerable to respiratory infections The week following exposure compared to the week before exposure. Army recruits who were exposed to CS tear gas only once during basic training were much more likely to develop respiratory diseases, such as viral diseases such as influenza, pneumonia, and bronchitis. The research and others led the American Thoracic Association in 2020, calling for a suspension on the use of tear gas and other chemicals during racial justice protests. One concern was that their use could increase the chances of getting sick with Covid-19.
“The science used to justify the use of tear gas is outdated,” says Sven-Eric Jordt, an associate professor of anesthesiology, pharmacology and cancer biology at Duke University School of Medicine, who wrote the recommendation for American thoracic thoracic society.
Much of the research into the health effects of exposure to tear gas and other chemicals is based on military research conducted in young healthy men in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. He says these studies do not address potential health effects on the broader civilian population. Furthermore, since it does not take into consideration the more advanced launching techniques developed in recent years, it is possible to deploy far more tear gas over longer distances.
In some cases, the effects of these agents are not due to the chemicals themselves. “People can get injured when they come into contact with canisters used to disperse gas, including blunt trauma and burns,” Carrero says. In Los Angeles, federal agents It reportedly fired a ball of hard plastic pepperalso known as the protester’s pepper spray projectile.
Injuries can also occur from blunted rubber bullets. Their names are a bit misleading, says Rohini Haar, an emergency physician and medical advisor to human rights doctors, considering that many rubber bullets are actually made of hard plastic or foam, some have metal cores.
“If they’re used deadly, they’re not that fatal,” says Haal, who is also an adjunct professor of epidemiology in Berkeley, California. “There are many instances where they cause death, and there are also many traumas that can be caused even if they don’t penetrate the skin.” The biggest concern is when these projectiles hit their necks, faces, especially the eyes. There have been cases where rubber bullets cause blindness, traumatic brain damage, appearance and fractures in other areas of the body.
a Survey in 2017 Haar and her colleagues found that about 3% of those hit with rubber bullets died from the resulting injuries, while 15% of the 1,984 people surveyed were permanently injured. a 2020 Analysis Released by doctors for human rights, Haal’s co-author found that at least 115 people suffered head trauma when law enforcement officials fired them with rubber and plastic bullets in the first two months of the US protest in response to George Floyd’s police killing.
In 2020, the American Academy of Ophthalmology became a domestic law enforcement officer. End of use of rubber bullets A similar projectile that controls or disperses a crowd of protesters.
If you are exposed to tear gas or pepper spray, experts recommend running away as quickly as possible, find highlands and covering your mouth and nose. If possible, remove contaminated clothing and wash it with plenty of soap and water. If you are experiencing severe symptoms, see a doctor immediately.
If you plan to attend a protest, consider wearing closed toe shoes and long sleeves. Eye protection and N95 face masks can also help reduce exposure.