theGIST Issue 12

Science in the Spotlight
Most countries who use tear gas
as a riot control tool thoroughly deusing
expired canisters, which can
be chemically unstable. Using expired
tear gas greatly increases the
risk of producing dangerous levels
of cyanide, which is normally produced
in small and not dangerous
amounts. A Reddit user claiming to
be a protester posted a photo of an
expired tear gas canister, allegedly
fired by police. While this is difficult
to verify, the post was widely circulated
online [2]. The Hong Kong
Free Press reported that the police
have admitted to using expired canisters
in the past, however the police
have failed to respond to this
latest incident.
From Studio Incendo: 'A photo taken at a protest
event of the anti-extradition bill, showing an expired
tear gas "03/2016" (three years ago).'
Before the coronovirus pandemic,
protests were held every week and
the police continued to use excessive
volumes of tear gas. Upwards of
85% of Hong Kong's citizens have
now been exposed to tear gas.
Since protests began, doctors in
Hong Kong have seen a rise in respiratory
infections (bronchitis), lung
inflammation (pneumonitis) and
coughing up blood (haemoptysis).
However, there is currently no citywide
registry for such cases to be
recorded.
contaminate areas in which it has
been fired to prevent long term
damage to its citizens. Hong Kong
does not. The blatant lack of care
for their own citizens is concerning
and the excessive use of tear gas
will continue to have long term
health effects on both protestors
and bystanders. It is time that governments
worldwide stand up
against police brutality in Hong
Kong, lest we end up responsible
for a generation with serious health
conditions and the eventual loss of
a great nation to a tyrannical dictator.
There is a demand for one to be
created by healthcare professionals
to log hard evidence on the effects
of tear gas and protect the citizens
of Hong Kong, many of whom are
not partaking in the protests yet are
still being affected. This includes
the very young and the very old,
both of whom have increased sensitivity
to tear gas. Babies have small
lungs; exposure to a given amount
of tear gas can produce more damage
than in an adult. Similarly, the
eyes and skin of a baby have thinner
layers of protection.
A part of the 2019 Hong Kong anti-extradition bill protests,
the Tsuen Wan March took place on August 25, 2019.
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