Tear gas, pepper spray, and crowd-control agent decontamination and first aid¶

Chemical crowd-control agents (commonly referred to as riot control agents or lachrymators) include CS gas (2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile), OC pepper spray (oleoresin capsicum), PAVA (pelargonic acid vanillylamide, a synthetic capsaicinoid), and CN gas (chloroacetophenone / Mace). Whether you are an uninvolved commuter caught near a demonstration, a neighborhood resident whose open apartment window drew in drifting street smoke, a journalist, or a pedestrian accidentally exposed to personal defense spray, acute exposure causes immediate, intense pain. Within two seconds of contact with the moist mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, throat, and damp skin, these chemical compounds activate pain receptors (specifically TRPA1 and TRPV1 ion channels), triggering involuntary eyelid spasms (blepharospasm), temporary functional blindness, choking, chest tightness, and intense burning across the skin.

For healthy adults in open air, the acute effects of tear gas and pepper spray are usually temporary and begin subsiding within 15 to 45 minutes after moving to fresh air and flushing properly. However, in enclosed spaces, high concentrations, or in people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiovascular disease, or contact lenses, chemical crowd-control agents can trigger life-threatening bronchospasm (severe asthma attacks), laryngospasm, corneal abrasions, and second-degree chemical skin burns. Knowing how to escape the aerosol plume upwind and uphill, flush eyes properly with clean water or sterile saline without rubbing, avoid dangerous street myths like pouring milk or antacids into the eyes, and decontaminate clothing safely at home prevents permanent eye and lung injury.

E hana i kēia i kēia manawa¶

1. Move immediately to fresh air by walking UPWIND and UPHILL (higher elevation). Tear gas aerosols and vaporized particles are significantly heavier than air and sink into low-lying streets, subways, basements, and ground floors. Walk calmly (do not run, as running makes you breathe deeper and faster) perpendicular to or into the wind, and climb to higher ground or an upper-floor balcony away from the white smoke cloud.
2. Never rub your eyes, face, or skin with your hands. CS gas is not actually a gas at room temperature; it is a cloud of microscopic, sharp crystalline solid powder particles. Rubbing your eyelids grinds these microscopic crystals directly across your cornea like sandpaper, causing painful corneal abrasions, and spreads oily OC pepper spray deeper into your skin pores.
3. Remove contact lenses immediately with clean fingers and throw soft lenses away. Contact lenses trap concentrated chemical crystals and capsaicin oils directly against your eyeball underneath the lens, preventing water from washing the chemical out and melting or permanently contaminating soft hydrogel lenses. Wash or wipe your fingers first, pinch the lenses out immediately, and discard soft lenses permanently.
4. Blink rapidly and flush your eyes from the inner corner (near the nose) outward using clean cool water or sterile saline. Tilt your head sideways over a sink or ground area so the worse eye is facing downward (so contaminated runoff water does not wash across the bridge of your nose into your other eye or down into your mouth). Pour a steady, gentle stream of clean drinking water or sterile 0.9% normal saline from the inner corner of the eye near the nose outward toward the ear for 10 to 15 continuous minutes.
5. NEVER pour milk, liquid antacids (Maalox), vinegar, baking soda paste, or cooking oil into your eyes. Despite widespread internet rumors, pouring unsterile dairy milk, flavoured liquid antacids, or vinegar into eyes that have microscopic chemical scratches introduces bacteria (Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus), fungi, and particulate grit that can cause sight-threatening bacterial keratitis (corneal ulcers). Use only sterile saline or clean potable water inside the eyes.
6. Strip off contaminated outer clothing without pulling shirts over your head, and take a COLD shower. Once you reach a safe bathroom, cut off contaminated pull-over t-shirts with scissors (or unbutton shirts) so you do not drag powder-coated fabric back across your face and eyes. Step into a cold water shower for the first 5 minutes before applying mild dish soap: hot or warm water opens skin pores and reactivates intense burning from crystalline CS powder and capsaicin oil.

Emergency field triage and decontamination flowchart¶

Follow this clinical sequence from the moment of exposure through home clothing decontamination.

flowchart TD
    A["Exposed to Tear Gas (CS/CN) or Pepper Spray (OC/PAVA)"] --> B["Stay Calm: Breathe Slowly Through Nose/Cloth & Move Upwind and Uphill"]
    B --> C{"Any severe wheezing, inability to speak full sentences, or chest pain?"}
    C -->|"Yes: Respiratory Emergency"| D["Call 911 / 112 / 999 Immediately, Sit Upright, Use Rescue Inhaler (Albuterol)"]
    C -->|"No: Eye and Skin Burning Only"| E["DO NOT RUB EYES: Remove and Discard Contact Lenses Immediately"]
    E --> F["Tilt Head Sideways (Affected Eye Down) & Flush Inner-to-Outer Corner"]
    F --> G["Irrigate Continuously for 10 to 15 Minutes with Sterile Saline or Clean Water Only"]
    G --> H["At Home: Seal Outer Clothes in Plastic Bag (Do Not Pull Shirt Over Face)"]
    H --> I["Rinse Hair and Skin with COLD Water for 5 Minutes First, Then Wash with Mild Dish Soap"]
    I --> J{"Does severe eye pain, vision blur, or blistering persist past 60 minutes?"}
    J -->|"ʻAe"| K["Seek Urgent Ophthalmological or Emergency Room Exam for Corneal Abrasion"]
    J -->|"ʻAʻole"| L["Rest in Ventilated Room & Launder Clothes Separately in Cold Water Twice"]

Identifying the chemical agent: CS Tear Gas vs. OC Pepper Spray vs. CN Mace¶

ʻO ka hoʻomaopopo ʻana i ke ʻano kemika āu i ʻike ai e wehewehe i ke ʻano o ia hana ma kou kino a ma luna o ka hale. ʻOiai ʻo nā mea hoʻomalu haunaele a pau e hana koke i ka haehae a me ke ahi, ʻokoʻa ko lākou kemika kino.

No ke aha ʻo CS "Gas" he pauka paʻa microscopic¶

ʻO ka mea nui loa e hoʻomaopopo ai e pili ana i ke kinoea waimaka CS ʻo ia ** ʻaʻole ia he kinoea ʻoiaʻiʻo.** Ma nā mahana maʻamau o waho, he aniani keʻokeʻo paʻa keʻokeʻo ʻo CS e like me ka pauka talcum a i ʻole ke aniani lepo maikaʻi. Ke puhi ʻia kahi pahu waimaka, e hoʻomāhana kahi uku pyrotechnic i loko i ka CS paʻa a hiki i ka mahu ʻana i ka lewa; i ka wā e pā ai kēlā mahu wela i ka ea malū o waho, e hoʻokuʻu hou ʻo ia i loko o kahi ao paʻa o ** nā ʻāpana paʻa microscopic e ana ana i ka 1 a 10 micrometers ākea.**

No ka mea, he pauda paʻa ʻo CS e hoʻopili kemika me ka wai:

• Ho'ā ka hou a me ka haʻahaʻa i ke ahi: Pili nā kristal CS i nā lae, nā ʻāʻī, nā pūhaka, a me nā pālule pulu. I ka lohi ʻana o ke aniani me ka wai o ka ʻili (hydrolysis), hoʻokuʻu ʻo ia i ka nui microscopic o ka waika hydrochloric a me nā huahana hoʻohaʻahaʻa irritant pololei i kou mau aʻalolo.
• He kōkua ka puhi ʻana i ka ea maloʻo ma mua o ka holoi ʻana: Ke hele ʻoe i waho o ke ao CS i ka makani hou, kū i ka makani ikaika me kou mau lima e kīkoʻo ana no 3 a 5 mau minuke e hiki ai i ka makani ke puhi i ka pauda CS maloʻo mai kou lauoho a me kou mau lole ma mua o ka pā ʻana o ka wai.

ʻO ka protocol irrigation maka i kēlā me kēia ʻanuʻu (a no ke aha e hoʻomaka ai nā lāʻau lapaʻau i ka makapō)¶

ʻO kou mau maka ka pahuhopu koʻikoʻi o nā mea hoʻomalu lehulehu. Ke kau ʻia nā kulu waimaka CS a i ʻole OC ma luna o ke kiʻiʻoniʻoni waimaka o ke koʻo, hoʻomaka ke aʻalolo trigeminal i kahi reflex pale koke i kapa ʻia ʻo blepharospasm, paʻa paʻa kou mau lihilihi ʻaʻole hiki iā ʻoe ke wehe iā lākou me ka makemake wale.

Pehea e holoi pono ai i kou mau maka a i ʻole kekahi kanaka¶

1. E hoʻokuʻu i ke poʻo ma ka ʻaoʻao me ka maka i hoʻopilikia ʻia i ka HAAHA: E hilinaʻi ke kanaka i mua a i ʻole e honi i kona poʻo ma ka ʻaoʻao ma kahi kihi 45-a-90-degere no laila aia ka maka i ka ʻula ma ka lalo. Mai hoʻopololei i ke poʻo i hope i ka wā e ninini ana i ka wai ma luna o ka lae: ʻo ka hili ʻana i ke poʻo i hope e holoi i ka pauda kemika mai ka lae a me nā kuʻemaka pololei *i loko o nā maka a iho i loko o ka waha.
2. E hoʻopaʻa mālie i nā lihilihi me nā manamana lima maʻemaʻe ʻelua: No ka mea, paʻa ka blepharospasm i ka ʻili maka, ʻaʻohe mea e hoʻomaʻemaʻe ʻia ka pōpō maka. E kau i kou manamana lima maʻemaʻe ma ka iwi kuʻemaka o luna a me kou manamana lima ma ka iwi papalina haʻahaʻa (ʻaʻole e kaomi pololei i ka pōkā maka ponoʻī) a huki mālie i nā lihilihi i paʻa ke kahawai wai i ka ʻili o ka maka.
3. E ninini mai ke kihi o loko (ma ke alahaka o ka ihu) a i ke kihi OUTER: E paʻa i ka ʻōmole squirt o sterile 0.9% holoi maka paʻakai maʻamau a i ʻole he hue wai inu maʻemaʻe 2.5 a 5 mau kenimika (1 a 2 ʻīniha) ma luna o ke kihi o loko o ka maka (ma ka ʻaoʻao o ke alahaka o ka ihu). E hoʻokuʻu i kahi kahawai haʻahaʻa haʻahaʻa e kahe i ka maka a holo mai ke kihi o waho ma ka luakini i ka honua. E ʻolokaʻa ke kanaka i kona pōpō maka i luna, lalo, hema, a ʻākau i ka wā e holoi ana i holoi ʻia nā ʻāpana i paʻa ma lalo o ka lihilihi luna a lalo.
4. ** Holoi no 10 a 15 mau minuke piha:** Mai hooki ma hope o ka paʻi ʻana i ʻelua kekona. ʻO nā kīpī pōkole o ka wai ma luna o nā kristal CS e hoʻomaloʻo pōkole i ka pauka a hiki ke hoʻonui i ka ʻeha no 10 kekona ma mua o ka lawe ʻana o ka wai i nā kristal. ʻO ka hoʻoinu mau ʻana no 10 a 15 mau minuke ka mea e holoi ai i kēlā me kēia aniani a me ka ʻaila kulu mai ka cornea.

No ke aha ʻAʻole pono ʻoe e hoʻokomo i ka waiū, Maalox (antacids), winika, a i ʻole shampoo pēpē i loko o kou mau maka¶

I ka wā o nā hōʻikeʻike a me ka hoʻohaunaele kīwila, hele pinepine ka poʻe i manaʻo maikaʻi e kū ana me ka lawe ʻana i nā hue waiu waiu, 50/50 hui pū ʻana o ka wai antacid (LAW: Liquid Antacid a me ka wai, e like me Maalox a i ʻole Mylanta), ka wai soda baking, a i ʻole ka shampoo pēpē e uwī i nā maka o nā kānaka. Ophthalmologists, poison control centers, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology e ao ikaika loa mai i ka hookomo ana i kekahi mea ma waho o ka paakai sterile a i ole ka wai inu wai maemae iloko o ka maka o ke kanaka:

Ka ʻili a me ka lauoho decontamination: ka wai anuanu a me ke kopa kīʻaha¶

Ke wehe kou mau maka a paʻa kou hanu, pono ʻoe e wehe i ke koena kemika e pili ana i kou lauoho, ka maka, ka ʻāʻī, a me nā lole ma mua o kou hoʻopā ʻana i nā lako, nā noho kaʻa, a i ʻole nā ​​ʻohana o ka ʻohana ma ka home.

KaʻAnuʻu Hana 1: Wehe i waho a i ʻole i loko o kahi lumi ʻauʻau kile¶

• Mai hele wāwae ma kou lumi hoʻokipa a i ʻole e noho ma luna o kou sofa lole me nā lole i ʻike ʻia i ke kinoea waimaka a i ʻole ka ʻehu pepa. Hoʻololi koke nā ʻaila CS a me nā ʻaila OC i ka upholstery a hoʻopau i ke kinoea a puhi i ka mea e noho ana ma luna o kēlā moe no nā pule.
• E hele i loko o kahi puka kīleʻa, hale kaʻa, a i ʻole ka hale ʻauʻau. E kau i nā mīkina lima nitrile a i ʻole ka latex inā loaʻa iā ʻoe.
• Mai huki i ka pālule, ka pālule, a i ʻole ka pulupulu ma luna o kou poʻo. ʻO ka huki ʻana i ke kola paʻa ma luna o kou alo e ʻoki ai i ka pauda CS a me ka ʻehu pepa e kau pololei ana ma kou mau poʻohiwi a me kou umauma i loko o kou mau maka, ihu, a me ka waha. E wehe i ke pihi i ke kapa, e huki mua i kou mau lima i loko o nā lima lima e ho'āla aʻe mai kou alo aku, a i ʻole e hoʻohana i nā ʻokiʻoki kaumaha e ʻoki pololei i ka pālule i ke humu mua a ʻili i hope.
• E hoʻolei pololei i nā lole a pau, nā kāmaʻa, a me nā ʻeke ʻeke i loko o kahi ʻeke ʻōpala palaki kaumaha a nakinaki a hiki i kou mākaukau e holoi ʻokoʻa.

KaʻAnuʻu Hana 2: ʻO ke kānāwai wai wai COLD 5 minuke¶

Ke komo ʻoe i loko o ka ʻauʻau e holoi i ke kinoea waimaka a i ʻole ka ʻūhū pepa mai kou lauoho a me kou kino, e hoʻohuli i ka puʻupuʻu wela i ke anu (a i ʻole ka wai mahana wela) no nā minuke 5 mua:

1. ** No ke aha e ʻeha ai ka ua wela:** ʻO ka wai wela a i ʻole ka wai mehana ke kumu o ka vasodilation ʻili koke (ke kahe ʻana o ke koko i ka ʻili), wehe i nā ʻili hou a me nā pores ākea, a hoʻoheheʻe i ka ʻaila OC resin a me nā kristal CS no laila e komo hohonu lākou i loko o ka ʻili, e hoʻāla hou i ka nalu wela o ke ahi ma kou kino holoʻokoʻa.
2. E kū pololei a hoʻihoʻi i kou poʻo i hope (a i ʻole i mua ma luna o ka ʻauʻau wai) i ka wā e holoi ai i ka lauoho: Hana ʻia kou lauoho me he kānana ea nui e hopu ai i ka lepo waimaka waimaka. Ke holoi mua ʻoe i kou lauoho me ka wai anuanu, mai hoʻokuʻu i ka wai mai kou poʻo i lalo ma luna o kou lae i loko o kou mau maka a i lalo i kou umauma i loko o kou ʻāʻī (ʻo ka ʻāʻī a me nā ʻōpū he mau ʻiʻo mucous ultra-sensitive e ʻā loa inā e holoi ʻia ka wai ʻauʻau ma lalo o kou ʻōpū). E kūlou i mua ma ka pūhaka i kahe pololei ka wai lauoho ma ka papahele ʻauʻau.
3. E holoi i ka ʻili i ʻike ʻia me ka ʻehu pepa OC me ke kopa kīʻaha wai hoʻoheheʻe maʻemaʻe: No ka mea he ʻaila ʻaila chili (capsaicin), ʻo ka wai maʻemaʻe wale nō e ʻōwili pololei mai ka ʻaila ma kou ʻili. Ma hope o ka holoi ʻana i ka pauda me ka wai anuanu no 5 mau minuke, e hoʻomaʻemaʻe i kou maka (e pani mālie i nā lihilihi), ka ʻāʻī, nā lima, a me nā lima me ** ka mea holoi holoi kīʻaha wai ʻoluʻolu (e like me Dawn a i ʻole Fairy wai)** a i ʻole kahi mea hoʻomaʻemaʻe maka ʻole ka aila ʻoluʻolu e hoʻomaʻemaʻe a hāpai i ka ʻaila capsaicin mai kou ʻili, a laila holoi pono me ka wai anuanu.
4. E hoʻomaloʻo me nā kāwele pepa i hoʻohana ʻia ma mua o ka hamo ʻana me ke kāwele ʻauʻau lole.

Pehea e pale ai i kou keʻena a hale paha inā hoʻolele ʻia ke kinoea waimaka ma kou alanui¶

Ke hoʻonoho ʻia nā mea hoʻomalu lehulehu ma nā alanui kūlanakauhale ma waho o nā hale noho, hoʻopiha pinepine ʻia nā papa honua a me nā papa ʻelua me ka neʻe ʻana o CS aerosol ma nā māwae puka makani, nā ea, a me nā puka makani.

How to safely launder tear-gas or pepper-spray clothing¶

Never toss a tear-gas-soaked jacket into the washing machine along with your child's clothes or your bedsheets; the chemical will transfer onto every item in the drum.

1. Wear disposable nitrile gloves when transferring clothes from the plastic bag into the washing machine.
2. Set the washing machine to COLD water only, highest water level, and an extra rinse cycle.
3. Add standard liquid laundry detergent plus 120 milliliters (one-half cup) of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), which helps alkaline-hydrolyze and neutralize CS residue during the wash.
4. Run the cold wash cycle twice before touching the clothes.
5. Hang the clothes to air-dry outdoors or on a rack rather than putting them into a hot clothes dryer after the first wash (high dryer heat can bake any remaining trace of CS or OC into synthetic fibers and vent irritating fumes into your laundry room).
6. For leather boots, nylon backpacks, eyeglasses, and smartphones that cannot go in the washing machine, wipe them down three times outdoors using disposable paper towels soaked in cool water and mild dish soap, discarding each paper towel after a single swipe.

Nīnau pinepine¶

Nānā ʻia nā kumu¶

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Emergency Preparedness and Response: Facts About Riot Control Agents (CS, CN, and OC) and Medical Management Guidelines (United States)
• National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Library of Medicine, Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders (WISER): Tear Gas and Oleoresin Capsicum Decontamination Protocols (United States)
• United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), CS Spray and Riot Control Agents: Toxicological Overview, Incident Management, and Decontamination Guidance (United Kingdom)
• American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), Eye Safety and First Aid Guidelines for Chemical Exposure, Tear Gas, and Pepper Spray (United States)
• Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and World Health Organization (WHO), Health Aspects of Chemical and Biological Weapons: Riot Control Agents (International)

Nā alakaʻi pili¶

• haunaele kivila
• Nā ʻeha maka
• Hoʻouka hānō
• ʻO ke ahi nui a me ka hoʻoheheʻe kemika