While Red Cayenne Pepper has been used as a weapon in war and untoward attacks for many centuries, it hadn’t hit the mainstream until the 1960s when Mace tear gas was first invented by a college professor and used by Police and the military for crowd control. It was later commercialized for personal use in the early 1970s.
Then in the early 1980s Pepper Spray, or OC spray as it is referred, was developed into a commercial spray that had more stopping power than its predecessor tear gas. In the late 1980s a law was passed by legislation through the efforts of the U.S. Postal Service who presented it as a useful defense weapon for civilian use. Since then Pepper Spray has been the top selling non-lethal personal protection weapon of choice due to ease of use, low cost and low regulation.
Pepper Spray quickly became more popular than tear gas. Tear gas, while effective for crowd control, it was not as good as Pepper Spray for dealing with individuals on censoring numbing hallucinogenic drugs like PCP. Also, it produced less side effects and injuries than tear gas. Pepper Spray has the same debilitating effect on anyone it touchs regardless of mental or physical conditions. It is non-flammable, non-toxic and non-life threatening. It has been tested and studied by many universities and corporations and has proven to be the best non-lethal commercial weapon on the market today.
Basic tear gas is categorized as an irritant. It causes a tearing effect. But pepper spray is categorized as a inflammatory agent. It causes the same effects as tear gas but it also causes inflammation and involuntary shutting of the eyes, copious tear duct and nasal discharge, respiratory tract irritation resulting in difficulty breathing and massive heat from the red peppers causing in mind numbing pain to the attacker.
Pepper spray is popular for a few key reasons:
1) It stops most attacks within seconds when sprayed in the face of an attacker.
2) The cost to own a small 1/2 oz to 2 oz unit for personal use costs less than a Pizza!
3) Most states allow it with minimal oversight or laws regulating it.
4) Just about anyone with normal cognitive thinking skills and physical condition can use it.
However, if you are going to use it, regardless if against human or animal attack, you need to know a few things about it. Like, how it works, how to use it and how to carry it for maximum protection.