How does tear gas affect the body? Can cigarette smoke bring relief? [WE EXPLAIN]

A man blowing cigarette smoke into the boy’s eyes – such a picture from the Polish-Belarusian border, and more specifically a film, has recently been circulated in the media. There was a theory (not the only one) that the boy might have come into contact with tear gas and the smoke was supposed to help him counter the effects of tear gas. Could it actually be a relief? How does tear gas affect the body, anyway? For MedTvoiLokony, the specialist in clinical toxicology, Eryk Matuszkiewicz, explained.

1. As explained by the toxicologist Eryk Matuszkiewicz, tear gases include e.g. pepper spray, which contains capsaicin. – When it gets into the eyes, nose or respiratory tract, it irritates them very strongly. For example, after contact with it, the eyes start to water, burn, pain and photophobia appear. You cannot even touch them then – says the specialist
2. Although the symptoms associated with the action of tear gas are very strong, the doctor emphasizes that it is not a dangerous measure, i.e. contact with it may not cause serious complications or permanent damage to health.
3. Could cigarette smoke bring relief? Eryk Matuszkiewicz judges. It also tells you how to deal with tear gas
4. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

Photo Protests in Chile in October 2019

Polish-Belarusian border. The cigarette recording went around the internet

– There may already be several thousand migrants on the Polish-Belarusian border. The situation is tense. Police and the army used tear gas against migrants who tried to cross the border – Bartłomiej Bublewicz, a TvoiLokona reporter, reported on November 8, emphasizing that journalists still cannot monitor what is happening. – We rely on the accounts of the inhabitants with whom we have contact and the reports of the Polish and Belarusian services (more: The crisis on the border, the police and the army used tear gas. Account of a TvoiLokony reporter).

On the same day, the media ran a video from the Belarusian side of the border. It shows a man blowing cigarette smoke into the boy’s eyes. The recording was published, among others, by the Belarusian (opposition) news channel NEXTA, which suggests that the boy who was supposed to be giving the interview was attempted to cause tears (to “effect” / add drama). This comment was referred to by journalist and diplomat Vytautas Jurasz, who stressed that “extreme caution” should be exercised in accepting information presented by the majority of Belarusian media.

On Twitter, the journalist of gazeta.pl, Patryk Strzałkowski wondered if the migrants’ goal was actually to cause the boy to cry. – Was it like that? Maybe yes, maybe not – neither I nor anyone who was there knows it, writes Strzałkowski. Journalists recalled that similar events had taken place earlier, for example in 2020, when migrants on the Turkish-Greek border kept their children near the smoke from the fire. The French portal CheckNews.fr then reported that adults were trying to help children who had contact with tear gas (more on this).

How does tear gas affect the body, is it dangerous? The doctor explains

Suppose the boy has been exposed to tear gas and the smoke is intended to moderate the effects of tear gas. Is this a good practice? Most of all, what are tear gas and how do they affect the body? We asked a specialist in clinical toxicology and internal diseases, lek. Eryk Matuszkiewicz.

As the doctor explains, tear gases are a group of compounds belonging to the means of maintaining crowd control, i.e. in such situations as we deal with at the border. One of them may be pepper spray, which contains a compound called capsaicin (it is also responsible for the searing and very spicy taste of chili peppers). – When it gets into the eyes, nose or respiratory tract, it irritates them very strongly. For example, after contact with it, the eyes start to water, burn, pain and photophobia appear. The eyes cannot even be touched. Capsaicin also causes an inflammatory reaction, which is manifested by redness / redness of the eyes – says the specialist. – As for the irritation of the respiratory tract, it is manifested, among others, by coughing and stinging. The symptoms may last up to 1 – 2 hours.

– I have come across this agent once, says Eryk Matuszkiewicz to Medonet. – In the emergency room we had a patient sprayed with tear gas. The man was just undressing so the gas concentration was low. Even so, everyone in the emergency room was coughing. This shows how much tear gas is irritating.

Although the symptoms associated with the action of tear gas are very strong, the doctor emphasizes that it is not a dangerous measure, i.e. contact with it does not cause serious complications or permanent damage to health. – It does not change the fact that its action is so intense and long-lasting that a person cannot withstand the pain and burning sensation. Of course, a lot depends on the pain threshold we have – the specialist points out.

Cigarette Smoke Help Mitigate Tear Gas Effects? Doctor’s opinion

– If we are dealing with a situation in which tear gas was used, remember that the shorter the exposure time, the better – reminds the toxicologist. – If this substance gets into your eyes, rinse them with cool water – until you do. Cold water will relieve pain. As for the airways – deep breathing in fresh air will help, preferably cool – he advises, adding: – Actually, that’s all we can do ourselves.

In case of severe ailments, medical assistance is already necessary. – If we are talking about the eyes, of course with an ophthalmologist who will administer drugs that will endure the pain. We, doctors, also have drugs that can withstand the allergenic effects of tear gas, says the specialist. – If we do nothing, the operation of the gas will pass after a few hours. Nevertheless, we will feel very badly – he warns.

We asked Erik Matuszkiewicz for a comment on the above-mentioned video and the accompanying theories. Could actually blowing cigarette smoke in the eyes mitigate the effects of tear gas? – Cigarette smoke could be blown in to induce an anesthetic, i.e. pain-relieving effect. However, nicotine does not show such an effect, so I do not see any grounds to use it for such a purpose – says the doctor. – Nicotine is definitely irritating: blowing it in causes irritation of the conjunctiva. As we are talking about tear gases, the effect may be similar to them, but it will occur to a much lesser extent: there will only be burning sensation and tearing, the specialist notes.

You may be interested in:

1. Why are healthy young people harder from COVID-19?
2. Hypothermia. What happens when the temperature of the human body drops?
3. How many healthy years do you have left? Check with the biological age and lifestyle calculator

The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website. Do you need a medical consultation or an e-prescription? Go to halodoctor.pl, where you will get online help – quickly, safely and without leaving your home.