Talk:Taser

For earlier taser-related discussions, see Talk:Electroshock weapon.

Use of the term “safe” in the first sentence is deliberately misleading.

“A taser is an electroshock weapon used to incapacitate people allowing them to be approached and handled in an unresisting and thus safe manner.“

The article then goes on at length to describe this weapon as “less-lethal” and details how dangerous it actually is for the person being “incapacitated”. The first sentence, I assume, is attempting to insinuate that tasers incapacitate dangerous people making it safer for POLICE to arrest them. This wording seems purposely vague so to include the word ‘safe’ without having to articulate WHOM the device makes safe. This is a weapon that was invented to hurt people. In the thesis statement of this article and the defining sentence of this weapon, it should be absolutely clear that this is a dangerous weapon.

My suggestion:

“A taser is a “less-lethal” electroshock weapon primarily used to immobilize people allowing them to be captured in an unresisting manner.”

Here I have removed the misleading language to make the sentence more impartial - and have replaced some of the language with similar words from the title of the original patent filed by John Cover.

I understand that there are people who want to lobby for this weapon and don’t want it to be politicized negatively, but there has been a long-standing marketing campaign intended to make this weapon seem “safe” when it absolutely is not. Misrepresenting this weapon as “safe” has dangerous consequences and doing so is categorically inappropriate. 104.162.70.198 (talk) 19:07, 19 October 2022 (UTC)

That sentence was added to the lead section in this revision, to explain the weapon's purpose. Jarble (talk) 21:58, 6 January 2023 (UTC)

I think the opening sentence is misleading not because it makes tasers seem harmless, but because it makes it seem as if police officers are expected to use tasers for every single arrest regardless of whether the suspect is posing a threat.

132.194.13.184 (talk) 23:05, 17 September 2023 (UTC)

Conducted Energy Device

Why is "conducted energy device" in the lead capitalized? Mat333o (talk) 15:26, 4 May 2023 (UTC)

Opening sentence

The opening sentence fails to make it clear that no one, not even law enforcement officers, is allowed to use a taser unless there is an immediate threat. 132.194.13.184 (talk) 00:48, 17 September 2023 (UTC)

Excited delirium syndrome

I second that a medicine expert should bring this section in line with the scientific consensus we seem to have at Excited delirium. I've tagged the exact issue as a fringe theory being espoused here, out of line with the article so we're internally inconsistent. Widefox; talk 23:03, 20 February 2024 (UTC)