Tear Gas Polemic Triggered The Fall Of Victims In Malang Kanjuruhan Tragedy, How Bad Is The Impact?

Tear gas illustration. (Photo: Pexels/@Ron Lach)

JAKARTA - The effects of tear gas after the tragic incident at the Kanjuruhan Stadium still become the center of attention. Not only lost lives but survivors are also haunted by trauma.

Some victims are also still experiencing health problems. Some of them are still suffering from red eyes from being hit by expired tear gas.

So how terrible is the impact of tear gas and how to survive the risks that can threaten life? The following is discussed by VOI, based on several sources:

What is tear gas?

Tear gas is a general term for chemicals that can irritate the skin, lungs, eyes, and throat. These substances have direct effects and the potential for long-term health problems due to exposure.

According to Medical New Today, tear gas can cause more severe symptoms in people with already compromised health conditions. Although the majority of people recover quickly from the effects of tear gas, they should still seek medical advice if they have been exposed to this substance.

Despite its name, tear gas is not actually a gas. These substances consist of solid or liquid chemicals and are usually available in spray or powder form.

This substance reacts well to moisture causing pain and irritation. This explains why tear gas affects moist areas of the body, such as the eyes, mouth, throat, and lungs.

Tear gas can be made up of many different chemicals, namely chloroacetophenone (CN), chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile (CS), chloropicrine (PS), bromobenzylcyanide (CA), dibenzoxazepine (CR), different combinations of chemicals.

In addition, tear gas is also known to have several variant names, such as mace, pepper spray, capsicum spray, and anti-riot agent. The strength of tear gas varies greatly. Exposure to more concentrated versions or prolonged exposure can worsen a person's symptoms.

Tear gas was originally developed as a chemical weapon for the military. These chemical weapons are now prohibited in warfare. However, tear gas is usually used by police or military personnel to disperse crowds or push back demonstrators.

Even in its use, tear gas must follow strict guidelines, especially in crowds. Some of the guidelines are tear gas should be fired from a distance, should only be used outdoors, and use chemical mixtures of the lowest possible strength.

Short term effect

The immediate effects of tear gas include; watery eyes, burning, redness of the eyes, blurred vision, burning and irritation in the mouth and nose, difficulty swallowing, nausea and vomiting, difficulty breathing, coughing, wheezing, skin irritation, and rash.

People who are exposed will also feel tightness in the chest or feel like they are choking. However, a lot of information says that the effects of tear gas will wear off in 15 to 20 minutes.

In addition to their effects on the body, tear gas canisters can also cause injury. The tube can be very hot and if it hits the body it can leave burns. Tube collisions can also result in damage to the face, eyes, or head.

Long-term effects and risk of death

If a person leaves an area that has just been pelted or sprayed with tear gas, but the effect wears off immediately, the risk of long-term injury is low. So far, scientists have not been able to conclude what effect tear gas has on a person's body.

However, it is clear that exposure to tear gas indoors, or in large enough quantities, can have serious health effects. These effects include glaucoma, blindness, chemical burns, and respiratory failure.

The adverse effects of tear gas were also clearly demonstrated in a 2017 study that used data collected over 25 years. The study said the chemicals and tear gas canisters can cause severe injury, permanent disability and death.

There were two deaths recorded from the 5,910 people included in the study. First, the release of tear gas in a person's home that causes death from respiratory failure. The second was the impact of the tear gas canister which caused a fatal head injury.

In the study, 58 people reported permanent disability after exposure to tear gas. The permanent records include; respiratory problems, mental health effects, blindness, brain damage, loss of limb function, limb amputations, and skin conditions.

Tear gas. (Photo via Antara/Ari Bowo Sucipto)

Additional factors

People with breathing problems have a higher risk of developing serious symptoms after exposure to tear gas. These conditions include asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. There is also a risk that it could cause a person to stop breathing.

The risk of injury from tear gas is greater when it is released or sprayed indoors than outdoors. Tear gas in an enclosed space can have the worst effects on a person exposed to this chemical.

In addition, releasing multiple tear gas canisters can increase the concentration of tear gas in the air. This action can obviously cause more severe symptoms to the victims.

How to avoid the bad effects of tear gas

A person who is exposed to tear gas should immediately take medical steps to avoid the worst risks.

However, it is highly recommended that if a person is in an environment exposed to tear gas, try to stay away from the center of the exposure as much as possible.

If you are in a closed room, try to get outside as soon as possible to get some fresh air. Another way is to seek higher ground and if tear gas is outside it is advisable to take cover indoors with doors and windows tightly closed.

Then try to cover your mouth and nose with a cloth and so on. Covering this part of the body with a dust mask and goggles is also allowed because it can provide safer protection.

If exposed, a person should remove contaminated clothing as quickly as possible, but do not pull it, especially clothing, through the head. Removed clothing should be wrapped in a plastic bag and thrown away.

Illustration. (Photo: Pexels/Dhia Eddine

The next step is to wash your face immediately and if necessary take a shower using soap until the chemicals can be ascertained to have disappeared from parts of the body that are prone to chemical effects. Then wash glasses or other jewelry before wearing them again.

Meanwhile, if you experience chemical burns due to tear gas, seek medical advice immediately. The standard treatment is to rinse all residual chemicals from the skin, cool with water, and bandage. If the eyes burn or water, can be rinsed for 10-15 minutes with clean water.

If exposure to tear gas hits someone who has breathing problems, get oxygen right away. In addition, asthma medications can widen the airways and help a person breathe.

However, so far there is no solid evidence that home remedies, such as soaking a cloth in apple cider vinegar or sniffing onions, are effective.