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Why is fluorine gas dangerous to inhale?

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A labeled diagram of the periodic table entry for fluorine, showing its atomic number 9, symbol F, atomic weight 18.998, electron configuration, and indicating it is a halogen and a gas at room temperature. — fluorine Properties of fluorine.

Fluorine gas is dangerous to inhale primarily because it is the most electronegative and powerfully oxidizing element known. Its extreme reactivity allows it to react violently with organic matter, which includes the biological tissues of the human body.1

Because of this high oxidizing power, fluorine acts as a general poison; when ingested or inhaled in significant amounts over a short period, it can cause rapid and fatal toxic effects. Furthermore, the element is so reactive that it combines with nearly all other elements, making it highly destructive to the structures it contacts. Due to these hazardous chemical properties, strict safety precautions are required when handling the gas.213