Riot control agents Chemical Weapons Convention

This provision incorporates almost verbatim the prohibitions contained in Article I, paragraph 1, of the CWC, as well as the prohibition on the use of riot control agents that is found in Article I, paragraph 5, of the CWC. The Australian legislation further provides that the term chemical weapons used in the legislation has the same meaning as in the Convention so that the scope of the Australian provision is basically coterminous with the fundamental prohibitions contained in Article I of the CWC.i ... 

Rosenberg, B.H. (2003). Riot control agents and the Chemical Weapons Convention. The Open Forum on Challenges to the Chemical Weapons Ban, May 1. 

Toxic ammunition contains chemical agents which, through their adverse physiological effects, are in use by military or law enforcement organizations to kill, injure, or incapacitate humans. Less powerful agents are used by the public for self-defense. While the use of lethal chemical agents like mustard gas and nerve agents to kill or maim has been banned by the Chemical Weapons Convention (COTC), the use of toxic chemicals as suppressive methods to control or subdue crowds and riots is widespread. 

In accordance with subparagraph 1(e) of Article III of the Chemical Weapons Convention (hereinafter the Convention ), States Parties are required to declare riot control agents (RCAs), which are defined in paragraph 7 of Article II of the Convention. 

M. Crowley, Dangerous Ambiguities Regulation of Riot Control Agents and Incapacitants under the Chemical Weapons Convention, Bradford Non-Lethal Weapons Research Project, University of Bradford, Oct 2009. 

Article II covers definitions and criteria . The term chemical weapons is to apply to toxic, lethal, super-toxic and harmful chemicals including key precursors, except where they are intended for purposes not prohibited by the Convention as long as the types and quantities involved are consistent with such purposes . It also embraces munitions and devices specifically designed to cause death or other harm by releasing toxic chemicals. Further work remains to be done on this article to cover the position of riot control agents, chemicals which, although not toxic in themselves, could be used to increase the effect of chemical munitions, and the definitions relating to binary munitions. 

Permitted purposes - those not prohibited by the Convention are industrial, agricultural, research, medical or other peaceful purposes, domestic law enforcement - that is, riot control - military purposes not connected with the use of chemical weapons and protective purposes. Thus the production of small quantities of CW agent for use in developing and testing protective kit would be permitted. 

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