The discussions on the use of pepper gas has increased recently after the fascist Minister of Internal Affairs Idris Naim Sahin claimed that pepper gas does not harm and has no "permanent effects" on human health. The Doctors' Chamber of Turkey ( TTB ) responded him with a press statement, commenting on the negative effects of pepper gas, including serious eye-problems, asthma and pulmonary edema, hypertension and cardiac dysfunction and cerebral haemorrhage. They said: "Pepper gas kills". TTB protested the Minister with the following words: "The Minister of Internal Affairs has not understood the issue of "permanent effects". Esteemed Minister; as the well-known names, HaticeIdin, Ibrahim Sevindik, Musa Dag, Mehmet Uytun, HacıZengin, KazimSeker and MetinLokumcu have "permanently" died! Pepper gas is a chemical weapon. It should not be used in any case".These 7 people are only a few out of thosewho have died either due to the direct effects of pepper gas or due to gas bombs hitting the body directly. {divide}
The demand for the prohibition of pepper gas is at the same time an increasing demand of the mass movement after the killing of many people at demonstrations by the police and it is a respond to the AKP government who tries to treat Molotov cocktails as a weapon. The Chief of the Police of Adana Mehmet Avci had said: "Those who use Molotov cocktails should be responded by opening fire and the demonstrator should be shot dead at that moment" and the Prime Minister Erdogan had announced that they would present a draft law to the National Congress to categorise Molotov cocktails as firearm. On the same days, two different courts had given two different exemplary decisions, one characterising it as an "explosive" and the other as "firearm". If such law is approved, the police will be provided the legal right of opening fire against the demonstrations without permission or warning. The discussions still continue.