Essential Pepper Spray Facts

Pepper Spray is a common inflammatory agent used in repelling a would-be attacker. Using the essence of hot pepper as a weapon is not a new-age idea. The ancient Chinese put ground cayenne pepper in rice paper and flung it in the face of their opponents, and Japanese ninjas used ground pepper to disable opponents as well.

Today's commercial pepper spray products are mostly O.C. (Oleoresin Capsicum) which is a derivative of the hot pepper family. The degree of OC in solution is often touted as a percentage, usually in the range of 5% to 15%. Experts caution consumers not to take these marketing numbers too seriously. A higher percentage of OC may not penetrate the membranes as fast as lighter fluid. A more scientific rating is in Scoville Units. Look for a product rated at 2 million Scoville Units. That's plenty hot and will do the job if you must use it in an actual attack. Do not use it in any situation other than as an emergency defensive manoeuvre. You can be fined by police or sued by the person who claims the assault to be inappropriate or injurious.

Pepper Spray affects all the mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth and lungs). Common reactions are tearing, coughing, gasping for breath and temporary blindness. The effects are temporary, perhaps 15-25 minutes which is certainly enough time for you to flee the scene or call 911. Pepper spray has been the preferred first-line non-lethal agent for police and security guards for the last few decades.

Pepper spray should not be confused with tear gas. We may know tear gas and its effects from newsreels of police using it against protesters from the 60s and 70s. CN was the first tear gas chemical; it was used by civilian and military forces in the early 20th century. Its effects were similar to pepper spray although there were concerns about its potency and stability. It is still used in many parts of the world and was the active ingredient in the original Mace.

CS was developed in the 1950s. This chemical is typically dispersed in a cloud or fog and causes severe tearing and skin irritations. During the Vietnam War, the United States developed an array of delivery vehicles for CS, including small pocket grenades, the "Mighty Mite" (a continuous spray device used in caves and tunnel systems) and 58-kg cluster bombs dropped from helicopters and planes. CS quickly became the chemical of choice for police to control unruly crowds.

Tear gas tends to hang in the air and may keep its potency where it lays for days. Most important, unlike pepper spray, tear gas in high concentrations has caused pulmonary failure, heart attacks and severe gastroenteritis. For these reasons, OC pepper spray has replaced CS in many parts of the world. Certain Mace brand "Michigan approved" models contain CS tear gas and a UV dye.

For pepper spray to be effective, it must hit the face and if possible, the eyes. To that end, a consumer can choose from several dispersion methods including gels, foams and traditional sprays. Gels and foams tend to stick to the attacker's face causing maximum tearing. These canisters are under pressure so they can typically shoot a stream from 8 to 12 feet. The newest type of spray pattern is a fogger which expands and vaporizes into a cloud of pepper. This type of spray pattern is great for multiple attackers, crowd control, bear repellent and home use.

Most pepper products contain several short bursts. Unless you get a 2 ounce or larger canister, you're limited to perhaps 4 to7 short shots. We recommend larger units-better to be safe than sorry. The new Mace Dragon Fire Pepper Gunshots from replaceable canisters and has a range of up to 25 feet.

When used properly and in the appropriate situation, pepper spray can indeed be a life-saving device. It is considered a non-lethal defence weapon and has a high degree of effectiveness. Pepper spray containers are small and inconspicuous. Some come in various disguises such as a pepper pager. Although you hope to never use it, it's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.