Stop the Use of Tear Gas in Crowd Control During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The 1925 Geneva Protocol forbids the use of any asphyxiating gas or agent in warfare. Most nations of the world have signed this agreement, but the United States has not. Tear gas is often touted as a safe method for dispersing crowds and quelling riots, but many medical experts agree that it is far more dangerous than police will admit.

A recent letter signed by 1,288 public health professionals and infectious disease experts urged law enforcement to cease using tear gas and other irritants because they increase the risk of contracting COVID-19 by irritating the respiratory system and making it more susceptible to infection.

Tear gas activates a specific pain receptor, and when inhaled degrades the mucus membranes in people's eyes, noses, mouths and lungs - the layers of cells that help guard the body from viruses and bacteria. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, severe tear gas poisoning, particularly if the gas was released in an enclosed space, can blind and even kill people through chemical burns and respiratory failure. Prisoners with respiratory conditions have died after inhaling tear gas in poorly ventilated areas.

Tear gas can seep into homes and businesses, where it can harm people who were not involved in protests. According to Aftermath, a biohazard cleanup company, tear gas "leaves behind residue that can present serious health hazards if not properly treated...Tear gas residue can seep into porous materials like furniture, mattresses, clothing, carpet and even hardwood floors, and continue to irritate the mucous membranes of anyone residing in or visiting the property long after the incident."

It is high time for law enforcement agencies in the United States to re-evaluate their protocol for using tear gas when it increases the risk of contracting