Pepper spray is a type of aerosol used to irritate the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. The active ingredient in this spray is capsaicin (capsaicinoids), which is derived from the fruit of plants in the Capsicum genus. These peppers are a significant component of chili peppers that give them their burning sensation by releasing a spicy oil when they are chopped, eaten or damaged.
What Does Pepper Spray Do?
Pepper spray is often used by law enforcement officers in the United States. The weapon is designed to temporarily incapacitate a person, giving officers enough time to restrain them.
They usually contain capsicum (also known as oleoresin capsicum), an active ingredient that triggers a number of short term but severe responses in mammals. The desired response varies according to the use, with police force and crowd control order being two differing occasions where different strengths of chemical agents may be appropriate.
- The chemical that activates the agent is either a capsaicin derivative or cayenne pepper extract.
- The spray is usually about 1% to 2% capsaicin, which is certainly enough to cause skin irritation in humans.
- Capsaicinoids contain some of the most potent volatile organic compounds known to man, and it is said that the level of damage caused by just one dose of spray can be compared with a half glassful (4oz) on an adult male.
- However, human beings are not the only target for this chemical agent. It can cause death to birds and other small animals, and it is also toxic to fish.
- There are also various kinds of pepper spray, such as bear spray, which contains capsaicin. A bear attack is one of the reasons why bear sprays are used by people who live in Alaska.
- This kind of spray is not for human use only. It can be used on all sorts of animals including bears, dogs, skunks and coyotes. Actually, it has been proven that this can be a good deterrent even against a tiger!
OC Spray: Effective Form
The first and most effective form that law enforcement officers use to subdue people is known as OC spray, which stands for Oleoresin Capsicum. This type of spray shoots out an oily liquid that contains 2% pure capsaicinoids.
The active ingredient in this type of spray is capsaicin, derived from chili peppers. The main difference between this and other types of spray is that it has a sweeter, less fiery taste that doesn’t burn to the same extent. This option isn’t appropriate for children, though.
The spray is in liquid form because, when it is present in the eyes, nose and mouth it creates a cough reflex, causing a burning sensation. The aerosol irritates these areas quickly so the victims are more receptive to verbal commands and less likely to pull out a weapon against their arresting officers.
The oil loses strength with each pulse of air and can be easily dissipated if it is not applied properly. By law, pepper spray cannot contain more than 10% capsaicinoids or be stronger than OC grade. Otherwise, it would be considered a hazardous weapon instead of a non-lethal defense option.
Self Defense Benefits
Self Defense Pepper spray can be a simple and effective weapon to have in your arsenal. One of the main benefits of spray is that it affects your attacker without doing any serious harm or permanent harm, two things weapons like knives or guns cannot offer.
It is non-lethal and non-injurious, but it does work to temporarily stop an aggressive perpetrator from approaching you. It is also relatively cheap, easy to purchase, and easy to carry around with you at all times.
The best thing about this spray is that it has no lasting side effects and can be used by most people of any age. It also works on your attacker immediately upon impact, which is extremely helpful in a situation where someone is attacking you and threatening to harm you. It has been on the market for many years and has greatly improved with time.
Some of its benefits include advanced design, acting faster than ever before, exceptional effectiveness against attackers, absolute safety around children and anyone else who needs it, non-lethal long range protection from behind a glass or at nighttime outside of vision, ideal for use in areas that require strict security like banks or schools, instant administration with long-lasting results.
Effects of Pepper Spraying:
Capsaicinoids are known to cause sensitization in mammals by acting through specific receptors on sensory nerves. This is the reason why the spray can cause irritation and a burning sensation, even though it doesn’t contain any capsaicin.
The other benefit of this type of spray is that it is odorless and colorless, allowing it to be used in closed spaces while conferring no risk of exposure to others.
In addition to being used by law enforcement officials and civilians alike, these irritant sprays are also used in riot control situations. Riot police aim their spray blast at the crowd, which can do more damage than a single hit.
