ABSTRACT
Modern day riot control agents (RCAs) (e.g. the “tear gases” chloroacetophenone (CN) (marketed as Mace®) and o-chlorobenzilidene malononitrile (CS), dibenz[b,f]1:4oxazepine (CR), and “pepper sprays” containing oleoresin capsicum (OC) or “synthetic” capsaicin (nonivamide) are a unique category of chemicals that are specifically designed to produce acute site-specific physiological actions on the eyes, upper respiratory tract, and skin of humans (and animals). Some groups categorize these chemicals as chemical warfare agents and even see their use as contrary to the Geneva Protocol CWC Treaty (Aftergood, 1994). However, other groups specifically do not include RCAs in their definition of warfare agents (DTRA, 2001) because of their routine application by nonmilitary personnel in civilian environments. The particular uniqueness of RCAs is that despite their intentional use to cause some degree of physiological deficit so as to temporarily “incapacitate” or debilitate adversarial persons, the greater intention of their use is to prevent or minimize injury and death. Specifically, by providing less-than-lethal ‘minimal force’ alternatives for controlling and managing adversarial groups and individual(s), RCAs have proven to be an increasingly desired public health and safety tool for both law enforcement agencies as well as private citizens.
