# Is Raid insect spray technically nerve gas?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-raid-insect-spray-technically-nerve-gas/510865>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 20, 2009, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-raid-insect-spray-technically-nerve-gas/510865 "2009-09-20T19:33:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-raid-insect-spray-technically-nerve-gas/510865/1 "2009-09-20T19:33:10Z")

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I heard this a long time ago, and I’m wondering:

1. Is it true?
2. Is it still true? I hear insect spray compositions change all the time.
3. If not, how does Raid work?

I read the SD about using soap as insect spray.

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**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-raid-insect-spray-technically-nerve-gas/510865/2 "2009-09-20T19:56:04Z")

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From a quick google of “nerve gas” +insecticide.

> [@](#):
>
> Organic phosphides such as insecticides and nerve gases are chemically and biologically akin. They have the same main structures and both act as cholinesterase inhibitors. The nerve gases are generally more reactively chemical and therefore far more toxic. Since both nerve gases and insecticides react to the same group of acetylcholinesterase the development of symptoms and the treatment of the intoxication are fairly similar. Intoxication may ensue from inhalation, from penetration of the skin, or from consumption of contaminated food or water. The latter mode of administration is the most common in cases of suicide.

[http://www.find-health-articles.com/rec\_pub\_2367190-treatment-insecticide-nerve-gas-poisoning.htm](http://www.find-health-articles.com/rec_pub_2367190-treatment-insecticide-nerve-gas-poisoning.htm)

[http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2009/05/04/do\_insecticides\_work\_like\_nerve\_gas\_on\_insects/](http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2009/05/04/do_insecticides_work_like_nerve_gas_on_insects/)

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**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-raid-insect-spray-technically-nerve-gas/510865/3 "2009-09-20T20:47:29Z")

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> [@Superhal](#):
>
> I heard this a long time ago, and I’m wondering:
> 
> 1. Is it true?
> 2. Is it still true? I hear insect spray compositions change all the time.
> 3. If not, how does Raid work?
> 
> I read the SD about using soap as insect spray.

well, you could look at it the other way and think of nerve gas as insecticide for people… I have heard both descriptions.

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**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-raid-insect-spray-technically-nerve-gas/510865/4 "2009-09-20T21:35:24Z")

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As a kid the **Raid** commercials always upset me a great deal. From a kids point of view the bugs were laughing, smoking cigars, playing cards minding their own business when the big **Raid Can** comes in and kills them all, kills all the happy bugs. In my mind I could see them all dying in agony, why? Sick!