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Medical Journal Calls for Taser Safety Review
I don't expect much traction from the opinion piece described below: at issue isn't the lethal potential of Tasers (that's pretty much self-evident at this point). The real issue is that the use of these weapons have lowered the threshold of the use of force in police action. Simply put, officers can now hurt you without having to touch you, and can excuse the action by saying, "Well, at least I didn't use my gun". Examples of this have been headline fodder for quite some time now.
The opinion piece released on Thursday argues that Taser use is a public health issue, and Canadian officials should not be relying on the manufacturer, Taser International, or its paid research to determine if stun guns are safe.
It also questions the assertion by Taser International that the weapon does not adversely affect the heart, and its explanation that people who die after being shocked by a Taser were killed by excited delirium rather than the effects of the stun gun.
"We were hoping to draw attention to the odd ways in which the message on Tasers has really been controlled by Taser proponents," said Dr. Matthew Stanbrook, the author of the editorial and an assistant professor, researcher and specialist in respirology at Toronto Western Hospital.
He told CBC News that while the public has been told that Tasers save lives, he says the number of deaths that have occurred after a Taser was used would prompt warnings and action by regulators if the weapon were a medical device or a drug.
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Comments (1)
at 03:43 on May 3rd, 2008
jordan, I agree that taser use is a public health issue and warrants tighter regulation (hopefullly in the near future). Thanks for posting this story.