The Five Most Deadly Chemical Weapons of War
"Chemical weapons require a relatively low investment, can cause severe psychological and physical effects and are agents of disruption."
While not strictly banned by the CWC (it doesn’t apply to domestic law enforcement), riot control agents have often been used with devastating effects. Their temporary effects include crying, uncontrollable blinking, burning in the throat, sneezing, coughing, vomiting, and at times temporary blindness.
Dina Esfandiary is a research associate, Non-proliferation and Disarmament Programme, at The International Institute for Strategic Studies. Follow her on Twitter: @DEsfandiary.
Image: Flickr/U.S. Army/CC by 2.0