I Know Pepper Spray Is Effective But Is It Safe? Is pepper spray secure? That’s a very good question and one that gets asked quite a bit when people are contemplating non-lethal self-defense measures. Unfortunately it’s a question that doesn’t have a cut and dry answer.
Pepper spray
It is a non-lethal defensive spray made from an active ingredient named OC (Oleoresin Capsicum). Oleoresin Capsicum is a natural ingredient and is essentially the exact same ingredient which makes hot peppers “hot”. The “hotness” of different peppers is measured using a method of dimension named Scoville units.
Have you ever ventured into a Habanero pepper? Those are mad hot and likely made your eyes water and nose run as the spiciness effects your mucous membranes. Could you imagine crushing that habanero up and rubbing it on your nose and eyes? Habaneros are a fairly hot pepper and measure approximately 200,000 Scoville units.
For comparison’s sake, pure capsaicin positions about 16,000,000! Most commercial pepper sprays which are available for civilian purchase rank about 2,5000,000. This Oleoresin Capsicum does after it contacts the mucus membranes of an attacker is felt immediately. The capillaries of the eyes will burn and dilate and cause temporary blindness, inflammation of the attacker’s breathing tubes can lead to difficulty in breathing and the total tremendous burning sensation should last anywhere up to 30 minutes, giving you plenty of time to flee the area and call the police.
So that is exactly what pepper spray is and why it is effective but the question is whether defensive sprays are secure. I believe the quick answer for this is yesthey are. The hardly any deaths which have happened as a result of being sprayed with a defensive spray have happened due to an allergic reaction substantially the exact same manner that peanuts have caused deaths through allergic response.
Conclusion
The consequences are certainly painful as all get out but the pain and temporary blindness are necessary or pepper spray wouldn’t be effective. I believe stun guns to be secure too but there must be a degree of inherent danger with any non-lethal self-defense merchandise or they wouldn’t be effective. Pepper spray is secure enough that I purchased a few for my own mother, wife and will do the same for my daughter when she is of the correct age to take such a device. So I guess the real answer to the question’is pepper spray secure? It’s definitely not a product to be taken lightly but one which I feel every law-abiding citizen must carry with them constantly.