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Take a look inside the history of tear gas, which is on track to become a $3 billion industry.
Take a look inside the history of tear gas, which is on track to become a $3 billion industry.
Did you know tear gas is illegal to use in warfare, but legal for law enforcement to use during riot control? The use of tear gas during recent protests in the US reignited the debate about the legality of its use on large assemblies. 
Tear gas is considered a less-lethal weapon, intended to limit the escalation of conflict without lethal force. It’s defined by the CDC as chemical agents that “temporarily make people unable to function,” by causing irritation to the eyes, throat, and more.
The less-lethal weapons industry is projected to grow to $11.3 billion by 2023, with tear gas representing about 25% of the industry.
The first known use of tear gas was during World War I. It was one of many chemical weapons used in the war. After the war, a 1925 treaty, called the Geneva Protocol, banned the use of “poisonous or other gases” in combat.
But the protocol did not limit production, so the tear gas industry grew. Gen. Amos Fries was one of the main advocates behind creating a commercial market for tear gas, thinking it could be used for security and law enforcement.
Tear gas manufacturers began aggressively marketing their products to law-enforcement agencies, and it later became a weapon of choice to disperse large crowds. In the early 20th century, police began using tear gas during labor strikes, political, and humans rights protests.
More limitations were put in place in 1993, with the Chemical Weapons Convention, which explicitly banned agents like tear gas as a “method of warfare,” but that still did not apply to law enforcement.
businessinsider.com/rise-of-the-3-…
businessinsider.com/rise-of-the-3-…
Today, at least three of the world's top less-lethal weapons manufacturers are based in the US. The companies don’t just supply US law enforcement, but also other agencies around the world.
The impact of tear gas can be worse than temporary discomfort, affecting people with health conditions like asthma more severely.
businessinsider.com/police-use-of-…
businessinsider.com/police-use-of-…
Those against the use of tear gas question why it is banned in warfare but used against unarmed civilians, and are pushing for an international assessment of the impact of these weapons.
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