Weapons of mass destruction are, by definition, “nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons that can cause death or indiscriminate injury on a large scale” (Dictionary.com) . The three main types have been used in different scenarios for decades when it comes to war and terrorism. Each of the three has different instantaneous and long-term effects on those directly affected and the surrounding population where the attack took place. Weapons of mass destruction are too commonly used and should only be used when absolutely necessary. They affect not only the targeted group, but also the people around them. They have many negative long-term side effects. Exposure can lead to health problems, genetic abnormalities in future generations of those who were exposed, and possibly even the death of many innocent people. Exposure to radiation from nuclear weapons can lead to health problems in the future. Chemical weapons like mustard gas used in war can leave organs, particularly the respiratory system, with chronic side effects. Biological weapons like ricin can damage the liver and kidneys. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Nuclear weapons wreak havoc on every level imaginable. The most famous era of the use of a nuclear weapon was the attack on Hiroshima in 1945. The United States military used a nuclear bomb weighing over nine thousand pounds and containing uranium-235. explosion exploded two thousand feet above Hiroshima and the explosion produced between twelve and fifteen thousand tons of TNT. This left five square miles of the city demolished. (They release heat waves, explosions and radiation that can injure or kill thousands of people in the surrounding area. This destroys homes, buildings and has extremely negative long-term effects on the environment. There are three main sources of injury or death: the initial blast of the explosion, the heat wave that follows and finally the instantaneous radiation: "These effects range from the after-effects of the injuries suffered during the explosion to the long-term effects of the exposure to radiation and health problems caused by the disruption and destruction of health services” (World Health Organization “Effects of nuclear weapons on health and the environment”, page 4). affect cellular and technological waves, making it impossible for those in need of medical assistance to reach emergency medical personnel. In addition to these causes of death, there is the collapse of many crushing buildings and structures. anyone who lives there. Nuclear weapons were used in war to annihilate opposing territories. It causes more damage than necessary by leaving innocent people, including children, families and the general working population, seriously injured or dead. Their homes and workplaces often end up destroyed as well. Chemical weapons are another commonly used weapon of war, due to their widespread effect on a large population. During World War I, it was a very popular way to attack your enemy with an inescapable defense. Some chemical weapons are still used today in riots by law enforcement, to control people who obstruct traffic and become violent when general approaches are taken. Tear gas is the most famous chemical weapon. The gasTear gas is the weapon used by law enforcement in the event of a riot. Border control can use it to decrease the influx of immigrants illegally migrating to our country. “Riot control agents (sometimes called “tear gas”) are chemical compounds that temporarily incapacitate people by causing irritation to the eyes, mouth, throat, lungs, and skin” (Riot Control Center and disease prevention, Civil Protection). and Response; Riot Control Officer Facts). However, not all chemical weapons only cause temporary damage for control purposes. Many uses of chemical weapons throughout the war were intended to defeat or eliminate a population. Mustard gas is another commonly heard chemical weapon. The effects of mustard gas do not occur immediately after exposure, but several hours later. The first signs are bloodshot eyes that become increasingly painful and some exposed people may even suffer temporary blindness. As a result of burning eyes, skin blisters and blisters become infected extremely quickly. Mustard gas contaminates not only the people present during its deployment but also the ground. Mustard gas is believed to have the greatest number of casualties from chemical weapons, killing 120,000 people or more. The only thing unusual about it is that mustard gas caused few direct deaths due to the open air in the fields where it was deployed, keeping gas levels below the lethal level (Science History Institute, A Brief History of Chemical War). Another infamous chemical weapon unlike mustard gas is chlorine gas. This gas appears in the form of a greenish-yellow cloud that smells like bleach. It begins immediately as an irritant to the respiratory system, causing the eyes, nose, lungs and throat to close. In high enough doses and prolonged exposure, it can cause death. Unlike nuclear weapons, chemical weapons generally only affect the targeted group, rather than causing widespread damage. We still use chemical weapons today, as we discussed previously and which we call “riot control agents,” such as tear gas. They serve as a controlling factor for uncontrollable groups of people. Although it is possible to affect surrounding people in a highly populated area, death will not follow exposure to tear gas. Biological weapons are also known as “bacteriological warfare”. It involves the use of infectious diseases, viruses or toxins to deliberately kill or disable not only humans, but also animals and even plants. The United States government has developed a system for classifying different biological attacks, based on the risk factor they present to national security. Category A agents have priority. Diseases or toxins in this category have the highest mortality rate, are easily transmitted from person to person, and are believed to cause an extremely high level of social unrest. Examples of these diseases include smallpox, Ebola, Marburg, Lassa and Machupo. Toxins that pose a Category A threat are anthrax and botulism, which are not transmissible from person to person, but nevertheless have extremely high mortality rates. Category B threats are generally easier to manage than Category A threats. They have a lower mortality rate. These include snot, brucellosis and typhus. The toxin that falls into this category is ricin. Castor. 3, 2018