Pepper Spray for Self Defense

Considerations of Carrying Pepper Spray

Pepper Spray has been a popular chemical personal protection device since the early to mid-1990s. Before purchasing pepper spray or any other defense spray, it is essential to consider the pros and cons. Learn the advantages and disadvantages of any personal protection item before relying on it for personal safety and self-protection. Any safety device or weapon is a tool limited by the user’s abilities and the conditions they confront.

Pepper Spray Products and Mace Products are available for personal protection. It is essential to understand the capabilities of pepper spray, Mace, or any other self-defense product before attempting to use it for personal protection.

Awareness and physical fighting skills will enhance all methods used in personal protection and self-defense. You should not rely solely on a weapon or personal protection device (pepper spray or Mace) against rape, aggression, or other violent crimes for self-defense. Check with your local and state law enforcement agencies to identify any restrictions before purchasing pepper spray or other defensive sprays. There are pros and cons of any Quick Fix Items.

Pepper spray should be kept out of the reach of children.
Manufacturers place a shelf life on each pepper spray canister due to pressure linkage found to dissipate within canisters.
Pepper spray canisters should be shaken regularly to maintain the chemical mixture and effectiveness.
Do not expose a pepper spray canister to extreme heat or cold such leaving and storing it in a vehicle.
An assailant must be within range of the pepper spray canister.
Average pepper spray canisters range from four feet to 15 feet. Maximum effectiveness is within 10 feet, but the effective range depends on the type of pepper spray canister delivery method and the canister pressure.
The pepper spray canister must function properly and be aimed accurately, requiring time and precision when under the stress of an attack.
If you use pepper spray on someone, you may also be affected. If you experience respiratory reactions, pepper spray may not be a suitable choice for your personal protection needs.
Ask yourself how you would be affected by pepper spray; would it incapacitate you?

Pepper Spray History

Pepper spray, scientifically known as Oleoresin Capsicum (OC), is overwhelmingly replacing mace, but its origins date back to ancient military history. The Chinese burned oil and red pepper in a stinkpot irritant and used it against enemy soldiers in 311 BC. In 673 AD, it was given the name “Greek fire” when Greeks burned sulfur, quick lime, and pepper. It was first used on catapults in the 12th century AD and was also employed during the

American Civil War. In 1973, OC was originally manufactured for personal protection against dogs. It was not until the 1990s that law enforcement began to replace their Mace canisters with OC, commonly referred to as pepper spray, which had become popular for personal safety since the early to mid-1990s.

In the 1970s, women were encouraged to view hair spray as a potential deterrent against assault. Then, additional chemical self-protection products came out on the market, including Mace, Witness Chemical Identifier, and

Pepper Spray, which gained immediate popularity as a defensive chemical agent.
In 1993, Richard Isaccs counted over 100 chemical defense sprays sold on the market, each with varying degrees of potency and effectiveness. Even though they are legal in most states, it is advisable to check with your local and state law enforcement agencies to identify any restrictions before making a purchase. Pepper spray has remained a popular personal protection device or quick fix.

Effects of Pepper Spray

The effects of OC in pepper spray involve severe irritation to the respiration, eyes, and skin. Often, those contaminated will experience constriction of the trachea, which may create a feeling of panic and an involuntary coughing sensation, “I can’t breathe.” Some people experience temporary loss of strength and coordination. Often, the sinus membranes begin to produce more mucus as the upper respiratory system becomes inflamed. Breathing is impaired by the constriction and swelling of the trachea, which reduces oxygen intake and causes excessive, uncontrollable coughing, gagging, and gasping for air.

Most people will experience severe involuntary twitching or involuntary closure of the eyes. OC is an inflammatory agent that causes dilation in the capillaries and swelling in the eyes due to its burning effects; the eyes burn and blur, producing tears to clean the chemical agent from the eyes.

Some people experience an intense burning sensation on the skin that is more painful if the skin pores are open due to previous or current sweating. Exposed skin may become discolored, ranging from slight orange to bright red. OC does not persist in clothing as CS does. The effects can last from 30 to 45 minutes after being removed to an uncontaminated area of fresh air.
Not everyone is affected, and the overall impact of chemical agents varies from person to person.

In the mid-1990s, a police officer was killed because he was led to believe by those same manufacturers that pepper spray would work on everyone. A violent criminal who had just walked out of his house after beating his wife confronted the officer who was walking up to the house to answer the call he was dispatched.

The officer sprayed the criminal with his canister of pepper spray numerous times. The officer was mentally distracted and surprised when the pepper spray failed to work. After all, he was told it would work. He relied on what he was told instead of exploring other options. The criminal grabbed hold of the officer and beat him to death. The officer died with the pepper spray canister still in his hand.

Pepper spray will not protect you just because you are carrying a canister. One commercial selling pepper spray showed two women walking by a street that led to a “bad” area of town. The one holding the pepper spray started to walk in the direction of the bad/crime area when her walking partner objected. The one armed with pepper spray convinced the other woman to walk into danger because “they would be safe just because she was carrying pepper spray.” Remember that proper self-defense is avoiding danger in the first place.

Accurate Expectations of Chemical Devices

Michael Castleman described a tear gas test in his book Crime Free:

In April 1981, in cooperation with the ABC television program “20/20,” the Ventura County, California, Sheriff’s Department arranged a unique experiment to test it. The television producers invited twelve Los Angeles women, all licensed to carry tear gas, to participate in a realistic simulation of street assault, with deputies playing the assailants. A parking lot scenario at the Sheriff’s Academy was created. The women were given shopping bags and told to imagine that they were leaving a supermarket.

Each carried her usual type of Mace product. The women and deputies were all average height and build; in some cases, the women were bigger than the deputies. The women had the tear gas in their hands with the safety off. They knew something was going to happen, but they weren’t exactly sure what or when. The scenario had diversionary activities going on, such as kids playing, people walking into the “market,”’ a guy changing a tire to create an environment in which the women wouldn’t just Mace or pepper spray the first person who crossed their path. Then, a deputy posing as an assailant confronted each woman and attempted to grab her purse or push her to the ground. Each woman was attacked four times, for a total of forty-eight simulated assaults. Even though they knew they were going to be attacked, not one of them stopped the deputies who played the assailant.

The Lieutenant running the event said the women were absolutely convinced the Mace would work. The women had been told the Mace would instantly disable any assailant. They were described as cocky. One woman even said, “We’re going to wipe you guys up!” The experiment was designed to provide them with numerous advantages that they would not have in a real assault. The tear gas was pre-staged in their hands and not in their purses, and they knew they were going to be using it. After the test, they were all upset and felt that the school they had attended had misled them with the tear gas. They said the school’s promotional videotape showed assailants instantly incapacitated.

Even with the tear gas in hand, the women hit the deputies less than 20% of the time and hit them in the face only a few times. In the few cases where the officers were hit in the face, the spray did not stop them. The manufacturers’ claim of immediate incapacitation” did not hold true. One in five deputies who were hit in the face did feel some ill effects but only after a minute or so, which would not have stopped a real assault.

Although this experiment was conducted with Mace and pepper spray, which is considered more effective, chemical irritants do not affect everyone. Most of the women in the above test missed entirely. An average assailant can cover 6 feet in less than a second, which does not provide enough time to aim and shoot, let alone effect the assailant with the contaminating solution. This is not what manufacturers would like you to believe. Since the pepper spray has been on the open market, its effectiveness has dropped.

Pepper Spray Used as a Diversionary Tool

If you choose to carry pepper spray or mace as a means of self-protection, consider it a diversionary tool that may allow you to escape. Realistically, the chemicals won’t stop the assailant, but optimistically, they can buy you a few seconds, at best, to possibly escape. But keep in mind that you are still subject to the mental and physical vulnerabilities of trying to escape a pursuing assailant who is not happy. A direct spray to the eyes and mouth will likely alter his intent and motivation to pursue the crime. At other times, it might enrage him to resort to retaliatory violence.

Mind-Body-Spirit Relationship

Predators understand how to use the element of surprise and know how to distract victims when attacking them. Many understand the mind-body-spirit principle of attack. Criminals prefer that you are not ready when they attack you. They can also see what you are carrying in your hands. During a blitz attack, they will grab hold of the spray canister and then hit you with their other hand.

What Is the Situational Stress Level? Unless you train to use any tool or weapon under stress, you will experience the “freeze response.” Your mind will go blank, and you will forget that you even have the weapon.

During the physical portion of the Model Mugging Basic self-defense course, women wanted and were allowed to use personal alarms (when they were popular) during the fighting exercises. Ironically, each student forgot she had the item until her coach reminded her to use it.

While you are concentrating on using pepper spray or any other weapon, your mind and body are separated. If you were to try to use physical force simultaneously, you would probably be ineffective. When under stress, people are far more effective if they concentrate all of their efforts on one effective task; attempting to use pepper spray on a rapidly advancing and violent assailant while trying to kick him is not an easy task.

Where Is My Pepper Spray?

Women have been attacked while they were taking a shower! How many women will shower with any protection device in their hands? The canister, like all weapons, is not a part of the human body and must be put down eventually. In the con or surprise approach, women will not even have the canister in their hands, or it will be simply taken away from them. Pepper spray, mace, and other items are usually carried at the bottom of a woman’s purse out of convenience, which will be unavailable during an attack. Even if a woman constantly carries such items in public, protection devices are usually left inside a woman’s purse while she is at home, where women are assaulted 50% of the time.

A 30-year-old woman was walking down the street at about 8:30 p.m. when she turned and realized two males were approaching her from behind. One of them suddenly grabbed her from behind and the other struck her in the stomach knocking the wind out of her. They pulled her off the sidewalk into the bushes. She fumbled in her purse for the pepper spray, but one of the assailants stopped her. She was being groped and told to take off her clothes. She could smell alcohol on the breath of both of the assailants. Unable to get to her pepper spray, she was still able to flail, breaking free of their grasp. She fled and they did not chase her.

Canister Problems?

The pepper spray canister must be aimed properly, which is not hard with dummy-proof canister designs, but under the stress of an assault situation, turning the canister around in the proper direction could cause life-threatening delays. If you do not have a dummy-proof canister, there is the possibility you could spray yourself in the face as one martially proficient police officer did while trying to apprehend a suspect. In the heat of the fight, the pepper spray canister became twisted. Pepper spray has the same deployment risks as other chemical devices.

Regardless of canister size, each canister requires mechanical operation and could malfunction; however, it is more likely to run out of spray while the assailant is still approaching. The smaller the canister is, the smaller the quantity of usable spray available. Police officers have run out of spray in their canisters. In contrast, in the middle of fighting with a violently resisting suspect, they have also had canisters malfunction (or not function at all) in the middle of the conflict.

Additionally, many of the key chain canisters, which women are encouraged to purchase, have an impractical carrying case that must be adjusted and hinders immediate use. However, the smaller canisters do allow them to be concealed from plain view. Some canisters come with a clip that allows you to attach them to your belt or purse for faster access.

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Are You Prepared?

Any weapon, including pepper spray, requires that you be prepared and have it ready before the assault. The canister, like all weapons, can be taken away from you and then be used against you. In an estimated 80% to 85% of all rapes, victims know their assailants, and fifty percent of assaults occur inside the victim’s own home. Rapists are not always the stranger in the alley or the weirdo in the parking lot.

How many women will hold their pepper spray in their hands while they are out on a date or socializing? How many will keep their pepper spray canister in their hands while someone they know is visiting them? If a woman feels she must hold onto her pepper spray while on a date, it would be a clear indication that she should not be dating this guy in the first place. These predators manipulate their victims into isolation using the con approach, and the pepper spray will unlikely even be within arms reach. Other predators surprise or blitz their victims. Consequently, these victims are unlikely to have even the canister ready, or any other “quick fix” personal protection item, in their hands for that matter.

A 26-year-old woman had just sat down inside her small truck after buying some take-home food. Before she could close her car door an assailant immediately attacked her. The 31-year-old assailant had been arrested on two separate occasions for rape but only convicted for robbery.

The victim was positioning her food on the passenger seat of her truck when the robber/rapist positioned himself in the open car door, threatening her with injury. He had just recently robbed two other people a couple blocks away before identifying her as his next victim. He robbed her and began fondling her breasts. As he was fondling her, he told her to give him her car keys. She complied and handed him the keys, along with a small canister of pepper spray attached to the keychain.

The assailant then pepper sprayed the woman in the face with her canister of pepper spray. He then told her to lie face down on the seat. She realized that he intended to rape her in the parking lot and started to resist physically. Her physical resistance is what prevented her from being raped and not the pepper spray canister she handed over to the robber/rapist.

However, this rapist seemed to be more interested in committing robberies and allowed her to get away because she did not hurt him during her resistance. His 5-8 and 210 pounds, large, muscular penitentiary stature would have easily kept her from escaping. He committed another robbery a few minutes later and was soon arrested that evening.

Pepper Spray Dissemination Methods

There are four methods of dissemination of pepper spray or Mace:

Liquid — common in mace and pepper spray canisters.
Foam — common in mace and pepper spray canisters.
Fog — solid to gas or liquid to solid release.
Burning — the smoke disseminates the particles.
Pyrotechnic — blast or burst projectile shot or thrown with agent inside the projectiles.

Pepper Spray Delivery Methods

There are three common categories of pepper spray and Mace delivery dissemination methods. All three delivery methods do not require strength to deploy and minimal coordination.

Pepper Spray Delivery Methods; depicted are Cone and Stream methods.

1. 1. Cone – The Cone or Cloud delivery method is in the shape of a funnel or cone, which makes it easier to hit a moving target or assailant because you do not need to hit them in the face accurately. The pepper spray also spreads out over a greater distance but is slightly slower to disperse than the stream. It is more effective against a charge or group of assailants. But if it is sprayed into the wind, the chemicals will blow back and affect you instead.

1. 1. Stream – The Stream delivery method is like a thin ‘stream’ of water coming out of a hose that makes it almost impossible to hit a moving target/assailant in the face who is attacking you. However, splatter stream-delivered pepper spray has less chance of blowing back on you in mild wind conditions. Some stream solutions also contain a UV mixture for identifying trace evidence if police detain the assailant.

Pepper spray foam or gel delivery.

1. 1. Foam or Gel – The Foam or Gel delivery method is typically delivered in a semi-streaming spray that adheres to the surface it comes into contact with. Some manufacturers might claim, “it will obscure an assailant’s vision and assist in the user’s ability to escape.” Sometimes staining dyes are mixed into the foam for suspect identification. Foam may be more effective against a charging suspect or one wearing glasses, but often has less range than the stream method. Foam or gel delivery methods are better for inside use and will have less environmental contamination that the stream and cone delivery methods. Foam-gel interior deployment may less severely contaminate an entire room if used inside a building.

Pepper Spray Canister Range and Delivery Concerns

The distance that pepper spray, like mace, can reach is dependent on the size and pressurization of the canister and the delivery mechanism. The maximum effectiveness of most pepper spray canisters is between four and fifteen feet away from the assailant. These short distances can give an advantage to a rapidly approaching aggressor. The desired target is the face, which can be difficult to hit even when the attacker is closing the distance from 15 feet away.

Expect that most of the smaller key chain canisters will disperse a pepper spray range of about 6 feet or 2 meters. Expect to get 1 to 3 sprays from key chain-size canisters. The larger hand-size canisters will average about 12 feet or 4 meters with five bursts of 2-3 second sprays. The older the canisters, the greater the likelihood of pressure dissipation, which reduces the range and the number of bursts one might use. A typical shelf life is approximately 4 years, although this varies by manufacturer.

The amount of pepper spray will also vary, and obviously, larger cans contain a greater duration of spray. Keychain canisters will likely have a single use with a short burst, perhaps three seconds at best. The approximate 3 to 4-ounce or 80 to 110-gram canisters are more dependable with multiple uses and may be best for walking and jogging. However, the larger canisters may not be practical for purses and everyday routines.

Pepper spray manufacturers typically provide specifications for deployment, so you don’t need to purchase multiple types of cans for testing. Pepper spray is dispersed as a liquid or foam gel. Do not expect to return a pepper spray canister after purchase because of the chemical materials. All expired, or empty canisters should be properly disposed of as a hazardous waste product.
An assailant must be inside the effective range of the canister’s spray limits. If you were lucky enough to spray him in the eyes and mouth, the effects are not immediate, and he will probably be able to grab hold of you. As he begins to feel the effects of the chemical, he will probably become furious that you spayed him. Because pepper spray does not incapacitate an attacker, he will hold onto you with one hand and punch you with the other.

Newer pepper spray canister designs and product lines have become very creative. Some involve flashlights and lipstick; some companies have even developed a fake cellular telephone as a pepper spray canister to disguise the weapon. Most criminals do not allow them to use their mobile phones during a crime. Now, suppose an assailant permitted you to use your disguised cellular telephone for something other than a communication device. In that case, he is likely to realize what you have before you can use it quickly. He may run away, or he may simply move, duck under, or rush through your efforts to pepper spray him. Then he will punch you while he takes the pepper spray canister away from you. One pepper spray product called the flair pen was marketed as “always ready to fire on an unsuspecting assailant for commuters and other travelers.” The marketer claims the pen has a range of 8 feet and “will disable any attacker instantly for up to 1/2 hour with no permanent after effects.”

Pepper Spray Effectiveness or Strength Rating

Consider the OC potency in the pepper spray canister you are considering purchasing. Before pepper spray became popular, law enforcement officers carried Mace canisters with a potency level three times greater than what was sold to the general public. Some chemical spray personal protection products have mixed Mace (CS) with pepper spray.

OC is measured in percentage of OC Oleoresin Capsicum solution, which ranges from just a few percentage points to claims of 18%, as defined in the Scoville Scale (SHU – Scoville Heat Units), which measures the potency and dilution level of the pepper concentrate. SHU is dependent on the quality of peppers extracted and processed capsinoids, which is the “heating element” used in the OC solution. At other times, manufacturers list potency as a Major Capsaicinoid (MC) rating. Generally, a higher percentage in both the SHU and MC ratings would be a consideration for greater pepper spray effectiveness. Consideration must be given to the laws or restrictions of one’s state, province, or nation before purchasing pepper spray or Mace. Pepper spray is generally more effective than CS or Mace, but it may still not have the desired effect on everyone.

Pepper Spray Contamination Is Unbiased

If you do use pepper spray or Mace on someone, you may also be affected. The particles in the canister do not discriminate between good and bad guys. The OC particles bounce around and fly all over. Chemical particles cannot distinguish between the good and the bad and, therefore, cannot stick to the bad guy. These particles will also affect you too. This is especially true after pepper spray, or Mace, is deployed inside an enclosed area. In such cases, fans are recommended for airing out indoor rooms that have been contaminated, and they usually require at least an hour to do so. This was the case when one “brilliant” officer deployed his pepper spray as a joke in the locker room as the next shift was preparing for duty.

Before carrying pepper spray, test your reaction to it by spraying some in the air and walking into it (Do not try this if you have a respiratory condition or allergies). Consider selecting an alternative personal protection device. After you have finished heaving and hacking, you may have second thoughts about using it. The foam delivery method reduces the amount of OC or CS chemical contamination, but not completely.

Intentional Self Contamination If Threatened

Possibly, one of the best ways to deploy pepper spray when confronted by an assailant may be to spray yourself with the chemical instead of the assailant. If the assailant attacks you, more than likely, he will not stick around to rape you. However, if he is an angry retaliatory rapist, he may continue to violate you under such conditions. Regardless, the coughing and gagging sensations of pepper spray or Mace will likely affect you negatively, effecting your ability to respond physically. Your hair and clothes will likely be contaminated, and any movement you make will probably trigger a coughing fit. You will need to shower as soon as possible. Don’t wear your clothes inside the house, or you will contaminate your home as well. Let the clothing air out before washing.

Do not attempt this technique if you have any medical side effects or allergic reactions to the chemical. This technique is not a guarantee to stop the assault, and you would simultaneously be at a physical disadvantage to do anything else but cough and gag.

First Aid

First aid for contamination from pepper spray or Mace involves the combination of fresh air and clean water; sometimes, soap and water or ice are also used. Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo is sometimes recommended for use as a decontaminant. Water may increase the burning sensations from pepper spray. You should check with the instructions provided by the pepper spray manufacturer regarding treatment after contamination. The effects of pepper spray should dissipate between 20 and 45 minutes, depending on the level of exposure and the OC potency. Do not rub your eyes. Do not use ice to cool the skin or eyes, and avoid using creams, oil-based soaps, or saline eyewashes. Makeup also produces persistent irritation. If the effects persist for more than 45 minutes, contact a physician immediately. However, the semi-miserable experience will linger for many hours after significant exposure to pepper spray.

Assailant’s Condition and Mindset

Do not think just because it worked on you that, it is going to work on a predator. The effects on you may be uncomfortably practical; never count on it working similarly to an angry, drunk, or drugged predator with a high pain tolerance level or commitment to inflict injury. Your mindset is geared toward being affected by the chemicals while you are conducting your experiment, which is nothing compared to the mentality of a violent criminal committed to attacking you. Alcohol and drugs will also reduce the effectiveness of chemical agents and can make some individuals even more violent if sprayed. There are reports that some individuals who commonly eat cayenne peppers become less affected by OC.

The effectiveness of pepper spray or Mace seems to be more a result of an individual’s commitment level. When a person commits, the effects are minimal or non-existent. Military police and law enforcement recruits are sprayed directly into the eyes with stream pepper spray during training. Then, they are required to fight off an aggressor using a baton, take down, and subdue suspects as part of the pepper spray (OC) exposure certification process. The point is for each recruit to prove to themselves that they can function if they were directly exposed to the chemical.

Pepper spray was used on police attack dogs, testing its effectiveness. When the dog was calmly sitting still, with no attack stimulus, the dog was sprayed in the face and ran away, yelping. Later, the same dog was presented with a target and then sprayed. The spray had zero effect, and the dog charged at full speed, attacking the target as if he had not been sprayed at all. The effects on humans are very similar. The effectiveness will depend on the commitment level of each individual.

Another effectiveness experiment conducted in 1997 by the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers demonstrated the ineffectiveness of pepper spray. Twenty officers were told to stab an individual 20 feet away after being sprayed in the face. Upon success, they could dive into a swimming pool. Each of the twenty officers was individually sprayed with a full blast of pepper spray directly in the face. They all succeeded in stabbing the targeted person with a simulated knife, but the most significant was the fact that no one fell to the ground.

Some criminals are mentally resistant to chemical agents. The potency of the spray used by police is far greater than what is sold on the open market, and police officers are issued canisters with easier operational mechanisms. Suppose the effectiveness of pepper sprays used by law enforcement agencies is declining, and they carry a more potent ingredient mixture. What do you think are the effectiveness of the less potent sprays that are sold to the general public?

Some may argue that conditions are different when the police use pepper spray compared to when civilians need to use it. That is partially true; first, the police go into situations expecting the possibility of trouble, versus women who are attacked by the surprise, blitz, or con approaches. Secondly, the police are not normally attacked by people they know. Third is the fact that the criminals who police officers arrest are the same criminals who come into contact with the police because they victimize the general public, some of whom carry pepper spray.

In general, quick-fix items are just an attempt to provide women with a “quick fix” to a complicated problem. These items can become a “crutch” that can cause dependency, reduce environmental awareness, and weaken any response to a threat, both physically and mentally. Rape continued to rise in the 1990s despite the popularity of chemical and other protection devices. These items, and even firearms, did not answer the “quick fix” problem of personal safety.

Will the Pepper Spray Be Ready?

Most rapes are committed by someone whom the victim knows, and these items won’t be in a woman’s hands when she is attacked. An assailant who commonly knows his victim may know she has a self-protection device and can easily counter the item physically or simply lure her away from the item.

A more effective impact on personal safety is achieved through effective self-defense, which comes from realistic training and an understanding of the context in which various crimes occur. In addition to pepper spray, there are many choices in self-defense.

Do not rely entirely on any personal protection weapon or gadget as one’s sole method of personal safety.