The international community has pledged to curtail development and use of chemical and biological weapons in several agreements, beginning with the 1925 Geneva Protocol, but several nations are not honoring these pacts. Critics argue that chemical and biological weapons are crueler than traditional warfare methods and that they harm innocent civilians. Some experts say that they are less of a threat when compared to nuclear weapons. The authors of the viewpoints in this informative resource examine the use and efficacy of chemical and biological weapons, address who is using them, and suggest ways to prevent their use.

The international community has pledged to curtail development and use of chemical and biological weapons in several agreements, beginning with the 1925 Geneva Protocol, but several nations are not honoring these pacts. Critics argue that chemical and biological weapons are crueler than traditional warfare methods and that they harm innocent civilians. Some experts say that they are less of a threat when compared to nuclear weapons. The authors of the viewpoints in this informative resource examine the use and efficacy of chemical and biological weapons, address who is using them, and suggest ways to prevent their use.