You can find pepper spray nearly everywhere. From self-defense websites to countertop displays at your local department store, this tear-inducing canister is ready to protect if you’re attacked. Or is it? Unfortunately, there’s a lot of mixed information and misinformation concerning this handheld defense weapon.
Here, we’ll sort through the fallacies of pepper spray and deliver the facts you need to know. After the lessons, you’ll be confident and ready to let loose a stream of fire towards your unlucky attacker.
Ignore These Myths About Pepper Spray
It Takes No Practice
Although pepper spray appears to offer a just “push the button” operation, it’s not that simple. Without practice, you’ll never know how far your canister shoots or how wide it disperses. You only have seconds to react if attacked, and that time shouldn’t be your first time ever activating your weapon.
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Additionally, most pepper spray canisters (like those from Sabre.com or Mace.com) have a safety switch and/or a flap secured over the unit to protect against accidental firing. If you’re not familiar with these features before a confrontation, you may not even get off one shot before you’re overcome. Simply put, practice with the weapon as soon as you start to carry it.
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It’s Always Ready for Use
Yes, it is, until it reaches its expiration date. Pepper spray does expire, and most people don’t know this fact. It’s a two-fold problem.
First, the actual propellant that projects the spray can lose pressure through minute cracks or seams. Low pressure equals weak or no dispersal of the spray.
Second, the pepper spray formula can degrade and become weaker. So, if you have a good shot, it may be ineffective due to the loss of potency of the spray. Either way, you’re in trouble. An easy fix is to just be aware of when your canister expires and quickly replace it.
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Pepper Spray Can Permanently Injure Others
You may think that you’re doing serious and permanent harm if you shoot an attacker. But rest assured, you are not, so blast away. Pepper spray may appear as if you’re blinding an individual or causing them not to breathe, but these symptoms are temporary. The effects of the spray typically wear off within an hour or less.
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It’s that burning and blinding sensation that an attacker feels that allows you to escape. So, don’t hesitate if you’re attacked; no long-lasting harm will be done.
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It Doesn’t Work on Impaired Individuals
Being high on drugs or intoxicated with alcohol doesn’t make an attacker immune to the effects of pepper spray. Although they may not feel the pain as much as others, their bodies will react involuntarily to the pepper spray ingredients. This includes their eyes becoming distressed, causing temporary blindness, and their lungs reacting with intense coughing.
Be sure to take advantage of these unpreventable symptoms and go on the offensive or run away from your assailant.
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All Pepper Spray Formulas are the Same
Nope. Pepper spray potency varies by manufacturer, and you need to do your homework before buying. Even though Scoville units measure a pepper’s heat factor, this isn’t what you need to know.
Rather, you should check for the Major Capsaicinoids percentage. This is the actual concentration within the formula. The higher the percentage, the more powerful the spray. Be alert that most no-name novelty brands offer weak formulas; ignore them.
It Works Against Vicious Animals
This one is both a yes and a no. Although it can be used against a canine, most formulas are too potent for a dog’s sensitive areas. Long-term harm can be done to the animal with high-dose pepper spray.
Naturally, if your personal safety is on the line with an aggressive dog about to attack you, then you may have no choice. But there are canine-specific sprays you can purchase for such situations.
Conversely, an attacking bear would most likely not be affected by your keychain-hanging pepper spray. Instead, opt to buy true and effective bear spray, which is especially formulated to deter a bear attack.
A Viable Keychain Weapon
Like any weapon, pepper spray has both benefits and limitations. Practicing and testing it regularly will help ensure it hits its target. Additionally, understanding the true heat content of the formula will also aid you when it counts.
Pepper spray is not the end-all to every conflict, but rather some extra ammo in your self-defense repertoire. Because in today’s day and age, you need every advantage possible to keep yourself safe.
