Tear gas linked to reproductive health issues

Since the October demonstrations, numerous testimonies have been collected regarding reproductive health issues linked to tear gas exposure. The Lacrymos de sang collective, created on October 8, has gathered nearly 6,000 accounts of symptoms such as hemorrhagic rules, unbearable pains, disrupted menstrual cycles, and miscarriages.

Personal accounts of severe symptoms

Camille, one of the individuals sharing her experience, described experiencing enormous pains and heavy bleeding following tear gas exposure. Similarly, Maëva, 20 years old, reported that her periods began the day after being gassed multiple times, with symptoms ten times more painful than usual, and noted that several of her friends experienced similar issues.

Founders highlight similarities in symptoms

Eva-Luna Tholance, the founder of the collective and author of an investigation published by StreetPress in 2020, stated that these accounts are not isolated and that the symptoms described present similarities, including uterine cramps, ovarian pains, and bleeding between periods.

Collective analyzes testimonies with limitations

The collective, composed of a dozen volunteers including three health professionals, is now attempting to analyze these testimonies. However, Tholance acknowledges the limitations of their approach, noting that the data collected are based on participants' statements and do not constitute a representative study.

Global patterns in tear gas exposure

These testimonies echo observations made abroad. A 2023 study published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Epidemiology, following the Black Lives Matter mobilizations in the United States, collected responses from 1,276 people exposed to tear gas. Among the respondents, 69% reported uterine cramps, 55% early periods, 30% breast sensitivity, and 19% delayed menstruation.

Chemical composition of French tear gas

The main irritant used in French tear gas is CS, or 2-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile. Its immediate effects are known: ocular, skin, and respiratory irritations. However, its consequences on the reproductive system remain much less studied.

Scientific research on CS effects

In June 2020, Alexander Samuel, a biologist, and André Picot, former CNRS research director, published a 127-page report for the Association Toxicologie-Chimie. Their work compiles research on the effects of CS, including respiratory, ocular, and skin effects, as well as possible consequences of repeated exposures.

Hypotheses without proven causality

The authors explore the possibility that CS's transformation in the body releases cyanuric compounds, which could interfere with cellular respiration. This hypothesis could help explain some toxic effects but does not demonstrate that exposure causes menstrual disorders. The report, presented as being under peer review at the time of its publication, has not been validated by scientific peers.

Other possible mechanisms considered

Other mechanisms, including physiological stress, which could alter the hormonal regulation of the menstrual cycle, are also considered. Alexander Samuel is now part of the Lacrymos de sang collective. Among the testimonies received, some concern pregnant women.

Pregnancy complications reported

Tholance reported that a small population of people were pregnant when they were exposed, and some lost their pregnancy. In the cases reported, several miscarriages occurred during the first trimester and one case at seven months, after a few minutes of exposure.

Historical concerns about tear gas effects

These concerns are not new. In 2012, the medical organization Physicians for Human Rights documented the massive use of tear gas against civilian populations in Bahrain. Its investigators collected testimonies from women who had experienced miscarriages and reported the concerns of doctors about an increase in miscarriages in areas regularly exposed.

Broader exposure beyond demonstrators

Another source of concern is that not all people exposed participated in the demonstrations. Passersby, people coming home from work, or residents who had left their windows open may have been affected. Tholance considers tear gas an "indiscriminate weapon" that "infiltrates all public and private spaces."

Calls for more research and accountability

Faced with these reports, the collective demands more research and institutional awareness. In 2020, during her investigation for StreetPress, Tholance had already approached tear gas manufacturers and the Ministry of the Interior. "We have never received a response," she laments.

Urgency for long-term health effects

The collective, which operates voluntarily and without scientific funding, hopes that the authorities will take up the issue. "We really want to point out the state's responsibility," insists its founder, who considers these exposures as an infringement on the right to demonstrate. Beyond the immediate pains, a question remains: what could be the consequences of repeated exposures on reproductive health? "We do not know the long-term effects on health. And that is something very worrying," concludes Tholance.