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What Are the Dangers of Stun Guns?

Stun guns, such as the Taser model used by police forces in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, are controversial weapons utilized both by law enforcers to subdue offenders and by citizens for self-protection. Though stun guns are considered much safer than conventional firearms, whether their use is justified is an issue of some debate, mostly stemming from the effect on the victim's body from the device.

  1. Ventricular Fibrillation

    • Stun guns deliver up to 50,000 volts of electricity into an individual's body, which typically has no lasting effect and is generally thought to cause no damage to the internal organs. However, some scientists have expressed concern about the ability of a stun gun to disrupt the heart's rhythm upon delivery of this jolt. The danger arises if the electricity enters the body at a specific moment in the heartbeat cycle; this can cause a state of ventricular fibrillation, setting off an uncontrollable reaction and potentially fatal event in the heart, according to the Foxreno website. The danger increases if the victim has an already weakened heart or has taken heart rate altering drugs.

    Contact With Head

    • The heart isn't the only area of the human body which is particularly susceptible to attack by the electricity generated by a stun gun. The head is also vulnerable to this electricity. If a stun gun is pointed and fired at this sensitive area, there is potential for brain damage, according to the Clearwater Personal Lawyers website.

    Accountability

    • Users of stun guns can be made to be accountable for their actions, and any individual carrying a stun gun, whether a law enforcer or civilian, should be aware that the use of a stun gun against a person could lead to a civil lawsuit in the case of the victim dying. Some police forces use cameras to monitor the situations leading to stun gun use so that officers carrying this equipment can justify utilizing the weapon.

    Potential Abuse

    • Some believe that as stun guns aren't regulated enough in many countries, law enforcers carrying this equipment might be tempted to use stun guns unsafely on members of the public. There are concerns that officers might abuse their power and use the stun gun to intimidate individuals, and some individuals have called for more safeguards regarding stun gun use.

    Stun Gun Limitations

    • The actual use of stun guns as a deterrent against crime can have its own dangers. For a start, some stun guns can't be used from a long distance; they are short-range pieces of equipment only. A stun gun also varies in how long it takes to subdue an individual; in the case of larger attackers, the stun gun user may need to use multiple or prolonged application of the device for it to be effective. These limitations may render the stun gun inefficient in some situations and thus leave the user vulnerable.

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