You can meet your doom with tear gas
May 02, 2011
SCORES of Ugandans have suffered both short-term and long-term effects of tear gas. Following a series of protests over the years — including student strikes among other protests — the use of tear gas as a riot control method has been met with mixed reactions.
WITH the Police increasingly using teargas to disperse protestors, Joyce Nyakato and Solomon Oleny explore the health implications of the gas, and why you should take to your heals if you find yourself in this situation
Litz’s story
I work in Wandegeya, a city suburb within the same locality of Makerere University. Following series of students’ strikes and protests in the city, my movements were limited to the office confines, fearing for my life. In a bid to quell the protests, the Police fired tear gas directly into the mammoth crowds, and though not part of the protesters, I was a victim of its devastating side effects. Since then, I have great difficulty breathing.
Why you must stay away from tear gas
SCORES of Ugandans have suffered both short-term and long-term effects of tear gas. Following a series of protests over the years — including student strikes among other protests — the use of tear gas as a riot control method has been met with mixed reactions.
In the recent past, the Police apologised for accidentally throwing a tear gas canister at a health centre and pupils who were later admitted to Mulago Hospital with breathing difficulties.
What does tear gas comprise?
Tear gas is a blanket term used for any of the several chemical compounds that cause extreme tearing and irritation.
Dr. Moses Byaruhanga, the acting commissioner of Police Medical Services, describes it as a non-lethal agent invented chiefly as a riot management method.
Tear gas (lachrymatory) is derived from a Latin word lacrima which means tear.
It constitutes of various chemical compound components, but the most commonly one used universally is chlorobenzalmalononitile
It is habitually used by police to control crowds.
In fact, some countries have legalised the usage of mace, a component of teargas, as a personal attack repellant (pepper spray).
Mode of action
Tear gas is released into the air as a gas or an aerosol, giving a cloudy atmosphere by swiftly diffusing all over.
Tear gas often comes in a canister that is fired into the air by a single trigger from a gun. The canister unleashes the gas and in its course of flying, bounces and roles on the ground, instantly spreading the gas over a wide area.
Tear gas is known to sway in any direction that the wind is heading.
Interestingly, tear gas has very little or no effect on animals, which means that the dogs used by the military or police can carry on to work unaffected in an area that has been sprayed with tear gas.
Effects of tear gas
According to Dr. Wilberforce Kabweru of Doctors Medical Clinic, Bweyogerere, the agent works by irritating human mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, mouth and lungs.
Dr. Cissy Akello, a medical consultant in Mbale district, compares the feel of teargas to that of red pepper. “Tear gas irritates the membranes, triggers reflex actions like crying, sneezing, coughing, hard breathing and pain in the eyes.
Once the tear gas comes into contact with the eyes, skin or mucous membranes, it causes severe irritation or even extremities like visual impairment.â€
When tear gas is inhaled, it causes irritation of the mucous membranes of the nose, throat and mouth. This causes uncontrollable salivating, an extremely runny nose, burning, itching and difficulty in swallowing. Tear gas also subjects the lungs to a shortness of breath, coughing, gagging and a choking sensation.
The tearing and irritation are often severe that the victims experience blurred vision and might not be able to keep their eyes open, especially if exposed to it for a long time. It is also common for the eyes and eyelids to swell.
According to the police doctor, within a period of one hour, effects of tear gas are expected to wear off. He, however, states that prolonged and repeated exposure or massive inhalation of the gas can predispose one to long-term effects.
These include permanent blindness, eye bleeding, asthma, severe lung damage, allergic dermatitis and liver damage. The liver plays a central role in transforming and clearing chemicals which makes it susceptible to the toxicity from toxin overload.
“It is possible to die from tear gas exposure, usually caused by respiratory failure. People who have heart-related complications, asthma or other breathing problems are susceptible to death stemming from tear gas exposure,†Akello says.
Byaruhanga explains that ideally, the tear gas usage in Uganda happens in an open space, hence there is short contact time. It is, therefore, expected to be non-lethal. “Tear gas may only cause death to a person with a pre-existing disease,†he adds.
Who is vunerable?
Byaruhanga cites children, the elderly and people with pre-existing diseases such as asthma and hypertension as groups of people who are likely to feel the effects of tear gas severely.
According to Dr. Mary Achen, a paediatrician at Merci-corps, a non-governmental organisation, teargas exposes expectant mothers to miscarriages due to the volatile nature of one of its components, aerosol.
“It also, increases the likelihood to have premature births, underweight babies, or give birth to children with congenital disorders,†she explains.
It also stimulates mental retardation and a low memory capacity in the children.
Alternatives to riot control
Byaruhanga cites rubber bullets, batons and nets as alternative methods, though, tear gas seems by far the most efficient.
How are complicated tear gas cases handled?
Complicated cases, mainly those with pre-existing disease, may require immediate hospitalisation.
Byaruhanga says the Police have a medical department which disperses a team to rioting areas which also forms part of the medical crisis team at Mulago.
They work at the causality ward by tracking people who have been ferried from the field at Mulago. According to Byaruhanga, most causes of death in riots are attributed to stampede, crowds getting hit by vehicles or the objects rioters throw carelessly.
Litz’s story
I work in Wandegeya, a city suburb within the same locality of Makerere University. Following series of students’ strikes and protests in the city, my movements were limited to the office confines, fearing for my life. In a bid to quell the protests, the Police fired tear gas directly into the mammoth crowds, and though not part of the protesters, I was a victim of its devastating side effects. Since then, I have great difficulty breathing.
Why you must stay away from tear gas
SCORES of Ugandans have suffered both short-term and long-term effects of tear gas. Following a series of protests over the years — including student strikes among other protests — the use of tear gas as a riot control method has been met with mixed reactions.
In the recent past, the Police apologised for accidentally throwing a tear gas canister at a health centre and pupils who were later admitted to Mulago Hospital with breathing difficulties.
What does tear gas comprise?
Tear gas is a blanket term used for any of the several chemical compounds that cause extreme tearing and irritation.
Dr. Moses Byaruhanga, the acting commissioner of Police Medical Services, describes it as a non-lethal agent invented chiefly as a riot management method.
Tear gas (lachrymatory) is derived from a Latin word lacrima which means tear.
It constitutes of various chemical compound components, but the most commonly one used universally is chlorobenzalmalononitile
It is habitually used by police to control crowds.
In fact, some countries have legalised the usage of mace, a component of teargas, as a personal attack repellant (pepper spray).
Mode of action
Tear gas is released into the air as a gas or an aerosol, giving a cloudy atmosphere by swiftly diffusing all over.
Tear gas often comes in a canister that is fired into the air by a single trigger from a gun. The canister unleashes the gas and in its course of flying, bounces and roles on the ground, instantly spreading the gas over a wide area.
Tear gas is known to sway in any direction that the wind is heading.
Interestingly, tear gas has very little or no effect on animals, which means that the dogs used by the military or police can carry on to work unaffected in an area that has been sprayed with tear gas.
Effects of tear gas
According to Dr. Wilberforce Kabweru of Doctors Medical Clinic, Bweyogerere, the agent works by irritating human mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, mouth and lungs.
Dr. Cissy Akello, a medical consultant in Mbale district, compares the feel of teargas to that of red pepper. “Tear gas irritates the membranes, triggers reflex actions like crying, sneezing, coughing, hard breathing and pain in the eyes.
Once the tear gas comes into contact with the eyes, skin or mucous membranes, it causes severe irritation or even extremities like visual impairment.â€
When tear gas is inhaled, it causes irritation of the mucous membranes of the nose, throat and mouth. This causes uncontrollable salivating, an extremely runny nose, burning, itching and difficulty in swallowing. Tear gas also subjects the lungs to a shortness of breath, coughing, gagging and a choking sensation.
The tearing and irritation are often severe that the victims experience blurred vision and might not be able to keep their eyes open, especially if exposed to it for a long time. It is also common for the eyes and eyelids to swell.
According to the police doctor, within a period of one hour, effects of tear gas are expected to wear off. He, however, states that prolonged and repeated exposure or massive inhalation of the gas can predispose one to long-term effects.
These include permanent blindness, eye bleeding, asthma, severe lung damage, allergic dermatitis and liver damage. The liver plays a central role in transforming and clearing chemicals which makes it susceptible to the toxicity from toxin overload.
“It is possible to die from tear gas exposure, usually caused by respiratory failure. People who have heart-related complications, asthma or other breathing problems are susceptible to death stemming from tear gas exposure,†Akello says.
Byaruhanga explains that ideally, the tear gas usage in Uganda happens in an open space, hence there is short contact time. It is, therefore, expected to be non-lethal. “Tear gas may only cause death to a person with a pre-existing disease,†he adds.
Who is vunerable?
Byaruhanga cites children, the elderly and people with pre-existing diseases such as asthma and hypertension as groups of people who are likely to feel the effects of tear gas severely.
According to Dr. Mary Achen, a paediatrician at Merci-corps, a non-governmental organisation, teargas exposes expectant mothers to miscarriages due to the volatile nature of one of its components, aerosol.
“It also, increases the likelihood to have premature births, underweight babies, or give birth to children with congenital disorders,†she explains.
It also stimulates mental retardation and a low memory capacity in the children.
Alternatives to riot control
Byaruhanga cites rubber bullets, batons and nets as alternative methods, though, tear gas seems by far the most efficient.
How are complicated tear gas cases handled?
Complicated cases, mainly those with pre-existing disease, may require immediate hospitalisation.
Byaruhanga says the Police have a medical department which disperses a team to rioting areas which also forms part of the medical crisis team at Mulago.
They work at the causality ward by tracking people who have been ferried from the field at Mulago. According to Byaruhanga, most causes of death in riots are attributed to stampede, crowds getting hit by vehicles or the objects rioters throw carelessly.