I Know Pepper Spray is Effective but is it Safe?

Is pepper spray safe? That’s a good question and one that gets asked quite a bit when people are considering non-lethal self-defense measures. Unfortunately it is a question that does not have a cut and dry answer. To answer this question let us first answer a more basic and rudimentary question and that is “what is pepper spray?”

Pepper spray is a non-lethal defensive spray made of an active ingredient called OC (Oleoresin Capsicum). Oleoresin Capsicum is a natural ingredient and is basically the same ingredient that makes hot peppers “hot”. The “hotness” of various peppers is measured using a system of measurement called Scoville units. Have you ever bitten into a Habanero pepper? Those are crazy hot and probably made your eyes water and nose run as the spiciness effects your mucus membranes. Could you imagine crushing that habanero up and rubbing it in your eyes and nose? Habaneros are a pretty hot pepper and measure about 200,000 Scoville units. For comparison’s sake, pure capsaicin ranks about 16,000,000! Most commercial pepper sprays that are available for civilian purchase rank about 2,5000,000. What this Oleoresin Capsicum does once 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 will cause difficulty in breathing and the overall 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 what pepper spray is and why it is effective but the question is whether or not pepper spray is safe. I think the short answer for this is yes, pepper spray is safe. The very few fatalities that have taken place as a result of being sprayed with a defensive spray have occurred because of an allergic reaction much the same way that peanuts have caused fatalities through allergic reaction. The effects are certainly painful as all get out but the pain and temporary blindness are necessary or pepper spray would not be effective. I consider stun guns to be safe as well but there must be some level of inherent danger with any non-lethal self-defense product or they would not be effective. Pepper spray is safe enough that I bought some for my own mother, wife and will do the same for my daughter when she is of the proper age to carry such a device.

So I guess the real answer to the question ‘is pepper spray safe?’ is to say that it is just as dangerous as it needs to be to stop an attack and not permanently injure or kill anyone. It is certainly not a product to be taken lightly but one that I think every law-abiding citizen should carry with them at all times.

Stay Safe,

Carl Vouer



If you are interested in knowing where to buy pepper spray please visit us online at Puzek Security Systems.