Prohibiting Chemical and Biological Weapons

There is a strong international norm against the use of chemical and biological weapons, with these weapons being described variously as treacherous, barbaric, abhorrent, and taboo. Indeed, their categorisation as weapons of mass destruction provides insight into the seriousness with which the development, possession, and use of chemical and biological weapons will be treated by other States. This chapter outlines the prohibitions on the use of chemical and biological weapons as reflected in relevant treaties, including the 1925 Geneva Gas Protocol, the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention, and the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention, and in customary international law. The chapter demonstrates that from the very beginning, the prohibitions have included the use of chemical and biological weapons against all living targets, including humans, animals and plants.