OC Spray, Self Defense Spray, Buy Pepper Spray for Someone You Love

Mace was originally developed as a type of CS (tear gas) that was designed to stop assailants by irritating the eyes and airways. It was originally used by and popular with law enforcement for its compact size and ability to stop perpetrators in their tracks, provided they had a pain response. Wild or rabid animals and individuals on some drugs were not affected by Mace spray, and so something else had to be developed. Mace Security International, which developed the original Mace, now offers a line of pepper spray and other products which combine oc spray and mace (CS tear gas) spray into one product, under the Mace brand.

Note: Mace is a registered trademark of Mace Security International.

The humble pepper makes OC spray what it is.

OC Spray and Pepper Spray are actually the same product, featuring the same active ingredients. OC or Oleoresin Capsicum is the active ingredient in pepper spray, derived from plants that contain Capsaicin (mostly found in varieties of peppers, and thus pepper spray or OC spray).

When products with OC are sprayed into the face, it irritates the eyes and airways causing eyes to tear and close, and making it difficult to breathe. This make it more effective than tear gas which does the same thing but not provide the "burning" sensation that OC does.

It's this burning and irritation that stops assailants and makes for a more effective self defense spray.

OC and pepper spray contain varying amounts of oleoresin capsicum and are measured by heat units (called scoville heat units or SHU) to determine how hot the effect will be. To put it in perspective, most OC spray ranges between 2 and 3 million SHU while raw capsaicin has 16 million SHU, the effect of which would be too devastating to use on anyone legally, and so it is watered down to make it effective yet safe to use as a self defense spray.

As a result, when comparing self defense spray, you should look at the concentration (in percent) and the SHU (2-5 million is a good range).

There are different levels of OC spray for self defense including various combinations of OC percentage and SHUs. Some products also contain CS gas for a dual immobilizing effect, while others contain other ingredients and have other features to make using OC spray easier.

The most common concentration for civilian use is 17% (any higher is illegal in some parts of the U.S.) and ranges between 2 and 5 million Scoville heat units. This is enough to disable and disorient an attacker so you can get away.

Remember! OC spray is designed to help you get away, not to bring an opponent down. The pepper spray will disorient your attacker and cause them to ignore you so you can go for help, not so you can turn around and start attacking your assailant (which will get you in trouble). Once you've sprayed an attacker, go for help. If you can bring authorities back, all the better.

OC spray is designed to be compact, easy to fire and relatively inexpensive. Don't be afraid to fire off all the shots, or hold the trigger down to ensure that your assailant isn't still coming, so you can make your getaway.

The one downside of OC spray is that you have to hit your target in the eyes, nose, mouth or some combination to restrict vision and breathing. It can't be breathed in from a distance to be effective. It must hit the target spots.

Other features of self-defense spray may include:

* Multiple shots or long firing times to make sure you hit your target
* Grips and tight streams for better accuracy
* UV dyes or other dyes to mark targets for identification
* OC spray/CS gas combos for better effectiveness (note that CS gas can be breathed in to be effective where OC cannot)
* Belt pouches, hand straps and keychain loops for convenience
* Disguised sprayers to look like other items for concealment

OC spray, pepper spray and CS gas components in self defense spray are legal and considered an excellent deterrent for regular everyday people in real life situations. Law enforcement carries the smaller canisters of OC spray for their own protection and recommend it for civilians as well.

That being said, there are do's and dont's for using it.

Due to the effective stopping power of OC spray, it is recommended not to be used for anything other than personal protection. It's certainly not a toy, and not designed for use as a pet trainer, for harassing friends or siblings or anyone else.

When using OC spray, you should be willing to use it in a situation where someone is physically attempting to assault you (particularly with a weapon), move you to an undesirable location or otherwise impose their will on you. The purpose is to disable the attacker with one or more shots from the canister, and then immediately flee the area and get to a safe place. Turning around and attacking your attacker no longer makes it self defense. Neither is goading someone into attacking you so you can spray them. Obviously, using it as a weapon to disable somebody for other purposes is also illegal. If in doubt about when, where and how to use pepper spray, contact your local police department. Many of them provide self defense classes including the use of self defense spray.

Still, when in doubt, when alone in places that are common places for muggings or worse, especially when out of your car like in parking lots, when jogging or similar situations, spray an attacker and run. Don't wait to be a victim.

OC spray was developed for law enforcement, but as a safe alternative to guns and other devices, it is an effective and relatively safe way to defend yourself if in doubt, and certainly when in immediate danger.

Most states require OC spray carriers to be 18 or older.

Various states have additional laws regarding OC spray for self defense:

California - Max canister size is 2.4 oz.
Massachusetts - OC and other self defense spray purchases must be made from firearms dealers, and the owner must have a license to carry firearms.
Michigan - Active ingredient (oleoresin capsicum) cannot exceed 2% and CN(another type of tear gas)/CS combinations are illegal.
New York - Individuals can buy pepper spray only from licensed firearms dealers and drug stores.
Washington - Allows carriers of OC spray to be 14 or older with parental consent
Wisconsin - In Wisconsin, OC spray cannot have more than 10% concentration of OC, must have a safety, must not have a range over 20 feet, must be labeled "do not sell to under 18" and be kept appropriately, be contained in tamper-proof packaging and have the manufacturer's phone number for contact and instructions on the label. CN/CS tear gas is not legal in Wisconsin, so combination tear gas/OC spray is not allowed.

It's a good idea to talk to local law enforcement before buying OC spray or any self defense spray, and be careful when taking it to another state where laws will change.