Gasning

Gasning, or gassing, is the act of exposing people or animals to toxic gas with the intent to kill or incapacitate. The term is used in several contexts, including pest control and fumigation, military and police operations, and discussions of genocide. In Scandinavian languages the word is commonly used to describe the act of gassing, with cognates in related languages.

Historically, gas has been used in some of the most severe atrocities of the 20th century. In Nazi Germany, gas chambers at extermination camps used toxic gases such as hydrogen cyanide (often referred to by the trade name Zyklon B) or carbon monoxide to murder large numbers of people, including millions of Jews and other targeted groups. The use of gassing in this context is widely condemned and is regarded as a crime against humanity and a war crime. Beyond this, the broader history includes instances of chemical warfare and state-sanctioned mass killings, which are topics of extensive international law and human rights scholarship.

In non-violent and civilian applications, gasning is associated with pest control and quarantine, where fumigants are used under strict regulation to eliminate pests in buildings, grain, and other goods while aiming to minimize risks to people and the environment. Modern legal frameworks generally prohibit non-consensual or indiscriminate use of toxic gases, particularly in contexts involving human populations.

Overall, the term is strongly linked to historical atrocity in public memory, and to regulated, legitimate uses in pest control and safety practices.