Chemical weapons are classified as weapons of mass destruction. They can harm a great many individuals at once and have the ability to damage buildings, natural structures, and the biosphere. Using the toxic properties of a chemical substance, a lethal agent can kill an opposing force, destroy vegetation to deny concealment, or remove livestock to promote hunger among a population.
Similar to biological weapons, chemical weapons are hard to contain once released. They can be dispersed in a solid, gas, or liquid form, and affect anyone within their proximity. These attacks can be launched via aircraft, rocket, or remote-controlled container release.
Modern examples include mustard gas, which can form large blisters on exposed skin, and, nerve gas which breaks down the neurotransmitters that allow organs to function. Most chemical weapon attacks result in death, or at the very least, lifelong health issues.
Under the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993, there is a worldwide ban on the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons and their precursors. Unfortunately, this has not stopped terrorist attacks, as a Tokyo subway fell victim to the deadly nerve gas sarin in 1995. Large stockpiles also continue to exist worldwide, justified as a precaution against possible use by an aggressor.
While storage over long periods of time remains dangerous, countries such as the United States are currently undergoing measures to dispose of their chemical weapons safely.
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