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During this week's protests against police brutality, law enforcement in various cities escalated their response with violence, often relying on tear gas—a chemical weapon frequently used for crowd control. If you encounter tear gas during a protest, the first thing you should do is flush your eyes with water.
The phrase 'tear gas' typically refers to any chemical agent used for riot control, but here we're specifically discussing CS gas, which is released from canisters that police deploy. If you're looking for advice on how to handle exposure to pepper spray instead, we’ve got a guide on that here.
What exactly is tear gas, and why do police use it?
Tear gas is prohibited in warfare under the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention, but it remains legal for police to use on civilians. According to law enforcement, the primary purpose is to deploy canisters that release tear gas at ground level, at the edges of a crowd, forcing people to flee the area and disperse the crowd.
CS gas is the variety most commonly referred to as 'tear gas.' It’s actually a solid powder that is dispersed into the air when it reacts with heat and a solvent inside the canister. (If you're tempted to touch or kick the canister, keep in mind that it will be hot.)
Tear gas starts to trigger intense discomfort, causing your eyes to water and your throat to cough, typically within 20 to 60 seconds. Once you move away from the gas, the effects usually fade within 10 to 30 minutes, or up to an hour at most.
What effect does tear gas have on your body?
The chemical compound in tear gas, known as 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile, is an irritant that activates pain receptors in your body after interacting with moisture.
The moisture that triggers this reaction could come from your tears, saliva, mucus, or sweat. Your body responds by producing excessive tears or mucus, which can impair your vision and make breathing difficult. The experience can also be 'psychologically terrifying,' as described by an expert who spoke to USA Today.
While the effects are generally temporary, the gas can lead to irritation, burns, and more serious complications for some individuals. Children are particularly vulnerable, as their smaller lungs and the concentration of the gas near the ground increase the risk. Older adults and those with pre-existing conditions like asthma are also at heightened risk. The danger escalates when the gas is deployed indoors.
What should you do if you're exposed to tear gas?
Popular Science offers an excellent, complete guide for preparing for tear gas and for taking action to protect yourself and assist others when exposed. It’s highly recommended if you anticipate finding yourself in a situation where tear gas might be used.
Above all, the most crucial thing to do is: move away from the gas and rinse your eyes with fresh water. If you're wearing contact lenses, remove them immediately.
While milk may help, there’s no clear evidence it works better than water. After a day of protesting in the summer heat, it can become pretty unpleasant. A mixture of water and baking soda might neutralize the chemical, but it could also contain small particles that may scratch or irritate your eyes further. Both the US Army and the manufacturers of CS gas recommend using water or saline to flush the eyes. (Saline is gentler, but both are effective.)
If you're anticipating exposure to tear gas, consider bringing water in a squirt bottle. Keith Ng, a journalist who’s been tear gassed during protests in Hong Kong, suggests carrying saline (or regular tap water, if saline isn’t available) in a squirt bottle with a small, pointed tip:
Goggles, masks, and full-body clothing can help shield you from direct contact with tear gas, but small particles may still find their way in or underneath your protective gear, so stay alert.
After exposure to tear gas, remember that the particles may still cling to your clothes, belongings, and hair. Carefully remove and wash your clothing, and take a shower to remove any remaining chemical particles from your body.
Updated 6/2/2020 at 9:47 a.m. to include a note that you should remove your contact lenses as part of the decontamination process if you’re wearing any.
Updated 6/4/2020 at 12:24 p.m. to clarify that the term 'tear gas' can also refer to pepper spray, and to link to our post on how to handle pepper spray exposure.
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