Talk:Riot control agent

problems with names:

 * tear gasses such as CS gas and CN gas ...

CS gas says "tear gas" is a synonym, and tear gas is a redirect. This disagrees. Should we unlink tear gas in this page or alter the redirect?

Repetitions
Through the text some info of use of tear gas in military and as warfare agent is redundant. 132.204.207.108 15:41, 1 November 2005 (UTC)

Removed text
I removed this text today:
 * It should be noted that civil activism movements have developed numerous ways of defending oneself against the effect of various RCA irritants. A popular one is inhaling the smell of freshly cut onions; strangely, it seems to almost eliminate the stinging sensation in the throat and reduce the tears. In action groups in Israel-Palestine, fresh onions are distirbuted regularly on all buses heading to possibly confrontational demonstrations.

Can anybody find a source for this? – ClockworkSoul 23:03, 9 January 2006 (UTC)


 * The only thing I can find is " People inside were sniffing onions to get rid of the affects of the tear gas" on http://skazat.com/justin/currents.cgi/2001/12/1-ihatefootball.html and "I make sure i carry the onions and wear trainers to do a quick runner if the cops decide to shower us with the sweet smell of tear gas." on http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/10/photos-from-todays-rally.html. Also "...and second, the importance of keeping an onion handy. As several Palestinian teenagers instructed me that afternoon, a whiff of raw onion can ward off the searing sensation of tear gas." on http://www.princeton.edu/paw/archive_old/PAW97-98/04-1105/1105endpg.html. Peronsaly I believe that this is practiced, though I doubt its effectiveness. Fitz05 23:54, 14 November 2006 (UTC)

benzyl bromide
I'm rather surprised by the use of benzyl bromide as a riot control agent. It is a known carcinogen. Also the phrase "At room temperature, these tear gases are white solid substances" implies that these are all solids, infact benzyl bromide is a liquid, also quite hygroscopic. Over time it converts to benzyl alcohol. Just wondering if someone knows more about its use as a riot control agent and if they could expand this bit? Fitz05 21:41, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

Can CS and CN cause Interstitial Scarring of the lungs.
I would like a medical researcher or doctor to address whether or not excessive unfiltered exposure to CS or CN gas can cause interstitial scarring of the lungs and what are the long term implications?

I offer annecdotal information on myself, The military forced me and thousands of other recruits and active duty miltary people to use defective masks, i.e. masks that had no straps. or no filters, or no exhalation diaphragms, or some combination of these problems. Even when they providied field maks that were fully functional; they often forced people to remove them for aggravatingly long periods while directly exposing them to CS or CN. I personally recall several ocassions of being exposed for 2-5 minutes in confined (sealed) quarters.

When I left the service after 21 years, I was given a chest X-ray which very clearly showed alarmingly pronounced intersttial scarring of the lungs. I'm sure every military person who was subjected to the DI's pervsity and/or lack of respect for the long term damage will appreciate a discussion of this topic. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Jmmanuto (talk • contribs) 03:27, 23 February 2007 (UTC).

Long-Term Effects
The entire long-term effects section is speculative instead of factual, referencing one source that is ". . . a working document . . . [t]he current version is being circulated for consultation [and] [i]t is not an official publication of STOA or of the European Parliament," while making it seem it comes from the STOA and another "unpublished" study from Urgence Manif, a fairly biased source (their mandate is said to be "IAs Quebec medics we are reacting to the systemic and predictable violence that is the state response to our political expression [sic]." Bias much?

(later)

Jesus, this is ridiculous. The article says that CS is mutagenic; the document cited says "However, the US Army concluded in a 1993 Aberdeen Proving Ground study that pepper spray could cause "Mutagenic effects, carcinogenic effects, sensitization, cardiovascular and pulmonary toxicity, neurotoxicity, as well as possible human fatalities." [p.36]. This is the only instance in which the word "mutagenic" appears in the doc.  Closest is a quote from Professor Howard Hu, who says ". . . CS may be linked to chromosomal mutation - damage to the body's DNA itself. _May_.

Vomit gas
I once read about something called "vomit gas" being used in Germany. It's used in a simmilar way as tear gas but causes nausea instead of tears. Anybody knows more? // Liftarn
 * Adamsite or DM. Technically considered a riot control agent, the US Army chemical warfare manuals said that it should be used only when fatalities were acceptable. It has a delayed onset, so for riot control, it was mixed with a "tear gas". There were also nastier applications when it was mixed with a lethal agent, such that if troops masked in time to avoid immediate effects of the lethal chemical, vomiting would force them to unmask or drown, and then be exposed to lethal concentrations of the other agent. IIRC, it was used during the most serious riot at Alcatraz Prison, along with concussion grenades. Hcberkowitz 23:15, 24 June 2007 (UTC)