In this day and age, not many would get to experience what it would be like to be enclosed in a room filled with tear gas. But for the handful of us that managed to go through it first-hand for ourselves, it’s probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience that we’ll never forget. Many a time, we watch documentaries depicting the massive consequences of tear gas poisoning but never before did we feel the effects for ourselves.

Upon entering the gas chamber, I could feel a sharp burning sensation in my nose even though I had the gas mask on. For fortunately, that’s all I felt for the entire duration with the mask on. Others felt immediate discomfort on their faces and had to vacate the room because their masks weren’t fitted properly.

However, the most challenging task was yet to come. Before we were allowed to exit the chamber, we had to remove our gas masks and rattle off some personal information. Without any doubts, by the time we bolted out of the room, tears and mucus were streaming down our sweat-covered faces. It was not a pleasant sight. As we stood in the wind, I reflected on the pain and suffering that tear gas poisoning victims had to go through. What we had been through isn’t comparable to theirs.

Although we had only been exposed to the gas for a couple of seconds, it was enough to make us tear and cough uncontrollably. So, how harrowing an experience it would be if we were to experience the full-blown effects of tear gas poisoning. I don’t think anyone of us would have made it.