Chemical weapons are classes of arms that utilizes toxic chemicals in killing large number of people during war. Unfortunately, it is not only the primary target that suffers from these chemical weapons, plants and other aquatic life are subjected to the unpleasant consequences.

There is no certainty that manufactures of these toxic chemicals will stop anytime soon since the chemical weapons are favorably viewed by manufacturers due to the potential use in fighting war.

Additionally, more income have been raked into the purse of manufacturers as a result of the great demands. Yet, positive views have to be maintained. We must lay concern on the hazards rather than the selfish interest tied in it.

On a daily basis, more chemical weapons are being developed, despite moves to stop the production. These weapons have fast, efficient, and easy handling by their respective operators.

International Chemical Weapons Convention reveals that there are more than 50 chemicals that have been produced with the sole intention of using during war time. These chemicals are even tagged as chemical weapon agent.

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A large number of chemicals that were used during World War I (WWI) were eventually discharged inside the ocean. This results into killing of aquatic lives, and killing of peoples if consumed.

There are no proper way to destroy these chemicals, so they stand at maintaining constant adverse effect on the populace.

The Most common means of discharging these chemical are through sea dumping, burials of some toxic chemicals, and open-air incineration. These means are all toxic to the healths of people. And these are ways in which our susceptibility is recognized.

Undoubtedly, chemical weapons are charged with side effects to health. Worse yet, it is not only limited to the population of the country where it is being used, it affects population of other neighbouring countries. How is our health being affected? The next subheading with give answer to that.

Impact Of Chemical Weapons On Health

The following are harmful effects of chemical weapons agents. As you read through the chemical agents, look closely into the health risk involved, see how disastrous and nasty the chemical weapons agents are.

• Choking Agent

Choking agents are chemicals from chemical weapons' industry that can be absorbed through a person's lungs. After the absorption of these chemicals into the lungs. What follows is the build up of fluids in the body system which in turn leads to choking, and death come to be the final stage.

Examples of the choking agents are phosgene, diphosgene, and chlorine. These chemicals can be consumed through air-borne or drinking of contaminated water from oceans or other water bodies.

The more chemical weapons are produced, the higher our exposure to these agents and the more we risk contracting these deadly diseases.

• Nerve Agents

Nerve agent are also types of chemicals that causes muscles paralysis. It encompasses a person's heart and diaphragm. Among all these chemical agents from the chemical weapon industry, nerve agent is considered to be the deadliest. Due to its ability to trigger immediate death.

In fact, the smallest and minute drop has a lethal dose that is capable of killing instantaneously.

Examples of nerve agent includes tabun, Vx, and Sarin.

• Blood Agents

Chemicals from the manufacturing of chemical agents is capacitated of preventing the body system, blood and tissue cells from accepting adequate and the required amount of oxygen into the other organs of the body. This leads to gradual disintegration of the organs and eventually it will fail, and lead to death.

Examples of these chemicals include hydrogen cyanide, arsin, and cyanogen chloride. As long as these chemical weapons are still used in the production of chemical weapons, we are still open to its damages into the body system.

• Mustard Agent

Mustard agent could come in form of liquid or gas. These agents affects the eyes, skins and lungs. In the long run, internal organs may also be damaged when the mustard agent is taken up either through the skins or lungs.

The effect of mustard agent is not immediately felt. It has a delayed symptoms after having direct contact with the skin. The span ranges between two-twenty four hours before a person start feeling the pains.

After that period, the damage would have already taken place. That is, cells in the body must have been damaged.

The symptoms includes consistent itching of the eyes, inflammation of the skin, coughing, and sneezing. It will eventually kill if medical consultations are not swiftly made.

• Blister Agents

Blister agent being one of the chemical agent used in the chemical weapons can be inhaled or contracted through skins. They however affects the eyes and the respiratory track.

As the name implies, blister agent have the capacity of posing life threatening skin blisters which looks like a severe burn. These types includes sulphur mustard, nitrogen mustard and phosgene oxime.

When a person becomes exposed to blister agent, they results into complete blindness and an extensive damage to the respiratory systems.

These chemical agents mentioned have been highlighted to be toxic. After being used during war, the continual effect can still be felt in the area where it was used and lead to complications.

Conclusion

The best preventive measures is to halt the production of chemical weapons, as technology advances, better substitute should be sort for, and that will reduce the rate at which people will be exposed to them.

The means of disposal can also be improved. Discharging into the water bodies, burying of the stock piled chemical agents should be abolished.

It is also sound to wonder why large finances should go into the production of these chemical agents that are causing pains and death. Instead of upgrading these chemical agents.

A proper view of war should be maintained. War should not be the only resort in resolving dispute, functioning steps must be embarked on to bring about peace and unity. There can be no justification for the creation of the chemical agents. Peace and unity must be welcomed.

Sources : https://www.disabled-world.com/editorials/weapons.php

https://www.pri.org/stories/2012-12-06/why-chemical-weapons-are-so-dangerous

Thank you all for reading.