Pepper spray, Tasers, tear gas, rubber bullets -- these "non-lethal" weapons are being used by more and more local police forces, as well as military forces brought in to control civilian crowds and other situations. Despite their name, non-lethal weapons have been known to cause deaths ... and as Stephen Coleman suggests, there are other, more insidious hazards as well. He explores the complex ethics -- and the unexpected consequences -- of using non-lethal weapons to control civilians.

Non-lethal weapons, a moral hazard?

Modern military deployments increasingly resemble policing, leading to calls for soldiers to use nonlethal weapons like Tasers and pepper spray. These tools, designed to avoid killing, often end up being overused or misused, as seen when Queensland police deployed OC spray over 2,200 times in two years, mostly against unarmed or nonviolent people. The gap in training and mindset between police and military heightens the risks. Nonlethal weapons, while seemingly safer, can be perfect for abuse and can turn into tools for indiscriminate harm.