What is Nerve agent?
'''Nerve gas''' or '''nerve agent''' is the name of a family of chemical [[poison]]s. Usually people call them ''nerve agents'' (they are not always [[gas]]es). They work by changing the way the [[nerve]]s work in the human body. They stop messages (signals) from the [[brain]] from getting sent to the [[muscle]]s and [[Organ (anatomy)|organ]]s. Nerve agents are [[organic chemical]]s that have [[phosphorus]] in them ([[organophosphate]]s). Many organophosphates are [[pesticide]]s, and have the same effects as nerve agents if people are [[Exposure (toxicology)|exposed]] to them. However, these pesticides are not used against people as weapons like nerve agents are.<ref name=ny>{{cite web |url=https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/emergency/chemical_terrorism/nerve_agents_general.htm |title=Facts about Nerve Agents |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=July 23, 2014 |website=Emergency Preparedness and Response |publisher=New York State Department of Health |accessdate=February 9, 2016 |quote=}}</ref> Since they are [[chemical weapon]]s, nerve agents are classified as [[weapon of mass destruction|weapons of mass destruction]] by the [[United Nations]] according to [[UN Resolution 687]]. Since 1993, making or [[wikt:stockpiling|stockpiling]] them has been against [[international law]].<ref name=angola>{{cite web|url=https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/CN/2015/CN.492.2015-Eng.pdf|title=Reference: C.N.492.2015.TREATIES-XXVI.3 (Depositary Notification)|date=September 18, 2015|accessdate=February 9, 2015|publisher=[[Secretary-General of the United Nations]]}}</ref> Nerve agents have long-lasting effects. People who survive nerve agent poisoning almost always have [[chronic]] damage to the brain and nerves. This damage can also cause [[mental health]] problems.<ref>{{Cite journal| volume = 7| issue = 1| pages = 1–17| last = Sidell FR 1974| title = Soman and sarin: clinical manifestations and treatment of accidental poisoning by organophosphates| url = https://archive.org/details/sim_clinical-toxicology