Reevaluating tear gas toxicity and safety

Abstract

Tear gases, or chemical demonstration control agents (DCA), were originally created as weapons that could severely disable or kill enemy troops. Though banned in war, these chemicals are still used in domestic policing. Here we review the available scientific literature on tear gas, summarizing findings from animal and environmental studies as well describing data from new human studies. We find a lack of scientific evidence supporting the safety of tear gas, especially regarding its long-term impacts on human health and the environment. Many of the available studies were published decades ago, and do not parse data by variables such as chemical type and exposure time, nor do they account for the diversity of individuals who are exposed to tear gas in real-life situations. Due to the dearth of scientific research and the misinterpretation of some of the available studies, we conclude that a serious reevaluation of chemical DCA safety and more comprehensive exposure follow-up studies are necessary.

Keywords:

• Tear gas
• respiratory health
• inhalation
• mechanism
• toxicity
• human exposure
• demonstration control agent
• COVID-19
• environment
• respiratory pandemic

Acknowledgements

The authors extend our sincerest gratitude to Maria Linn-Evans, Barbara Toddes and Willela Burgess for their editorial assistance and candid feedback, and to Dr. Allison Langham-Putrow for her help in the publication process.