It’s worth noting that the article suggests a lot of people are only on this type of inhaler due to insurer laziness.

I’m assuming they moved to HFAs/HFCs for basically the same reasons refrigerants did: still non-toxic, still non-flammable, now no ozone concerns.

If they want to replace them with low-GHG alternatives it starts getting tricky.

Hydrocarbons are great but flammable, and flames inside your lungs seems even more exciting than some propane leaking out of your fridge.

Hydrofluoroolefins (1234yf and 1234ze) are probably about to be banned as PFOA precursors, although Wikipedia says the latter might be introduced in inhalers…

CO2 doesn’t liquefy and breathing it in is going to make you feel like you’re suffocating.

I’m picking HFCs are going to stick around in medical applications for a while where dust/liquid options aren’t feasible.

That or returning to some kind of blower mechanism for ambient air.

You also want a weapon you’re familiar with and that you can control. In medieval farming communities, chances are everyone’s used a pitchfork. Axe less so.

Pitchforks also work better as infantry; they’re kind of a mini pike so they’re useful in a mass and against horses. Swing an axe in a mob and it’ll hit your neighbour.