A 2014 study by the US military also found that exposure to tear gas and pepper spray make people vulnerable to respiratory infections In the week after exposure compared to the week before exposure. Military recruits exposed to CS -Alarm gas only once during basic training had a much higher probability of developing respiratory diseases such as viral diseases such as influenza, pneumonia or bronchitis. This study and others conducted the US thoracic society in 2020 to summon a moratorium on the use of tear gas and other chemical agents during racial justice protests. One concern was that their use could increase the opportunity to get sick with Covid-19.
“The science used to justify the use of tear gas is outdated,” says Sven-Eric Jordt, associate professor of anesthesiology, pharmacology and cancer biology at the University of Medicine from Duke University, which helped author of the US thorax society recommendations.
Much of the research on the health effects of exposure to tear gas and other chemical agents are based on military research, which was done in the 1950s, ’60, and ’70 years with young, healthy men. He says that these studies do not deal with the potential health effects on a wider civilian population. They also do not allow for higher -level launch technologies developed in recent years, which enable the deployment of much higher amounts of tear gas over longer distances.
In some cases, the effects of these agents are not due to the chemicals themselves. “People can be injured when in contact with the canisters used to spread the gas, and this may include unbridled trauma or burn injuries,” Calello says. In Los -English, federal agents reportedly shot hard plastic pepper ballsAlso known as Pypper Spray Projeyles, at protesters.
Wounds can also occur from unbridled rubber bullets. Their name is a bit misguided, says Rohini Haar, an emergency doctor and medical advisor to human rights, considering that many rubber bullets are actually made of hard plastic or foam and some even have a metal core.
“They are no less deadly if they are used fatally,” says Haar, who is also an additional professor of epidemiology at UC Berkeley. “There are many, many cases causing death, and there are also many trauma that can be caused, even if they do not penetrate the skin.” The biggest care comes if these projectiles hit the neck or face, especially the eyes. There have been cases of rubber bullets causing blindness, traumatic brain injury and split, and less seriously, broken bones in other areas of the body.
A 2017 study De Haar and her colleagues found that about 3 percent of people hit by rubber bullets died from the resulting injury, while 15 percent of the 1,984 people studied were constantly injured. A 2020 -analysis Released by Human Rights Doctors and Haar co -authored that at least 115 people suffered head injuries when police officers shot them with rubber and plastic bullets during the first two months of us protests in response to George Floyd’s police killing.
In 2020, the American Academy of Ophthalmology called for domestic offenders to Finish the use of rubber bullets and similar projectiles to control or spread crowds of Protestants.
If you are exposed to tear gas or pepper spray, experts recommend leaving as quickly as possible, find a higher ground and cover your mouth and nose. When possible, remove contaminated clothing and wash with abundant amounts of soap and water. If you experience severe symptoms, look for medical attention 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.
