subject: Finding and Using Pepper Spray [print this page] Finding and Using Pepper Spray Finding and Using Pepper Spray
How often do you go out without a personal protection device? For the average woman, having a can of mace or pepper spray inside her purse is a no brainer. You even take pepper spray when you go out jogging and, depending upon where you live, the pepper spray can may even be concealed as a small dumbbell or tube of lipstick.
But what if you have never used pepper spray in your life? At a certain point, nearly every woman is advised to start carrying a personal protection device, such as pepper spray, a stun gun, or mace. Out of these, pepper spray tends to be the most common and practical. If you are searching for the right can of pepper spray, what factors should you consider?
As a general rule, your pepper spray should readily be available in situations where you think you will need it. In terms of using pepper spray at the right moment, a woman should be able to quickly reach into her purse or pocket, touch the cap of the spray, and aim it at her attacker. In situations like this, smaller tends to be better: inconspicuous and easy enough to activate quickly.
Aside from the right size for you, investigate any local laws pertaining to pepper spray. Not all states view personal protection devices the same, and more restrictions may be in place for your area. Massachusetts, for example, requires pepper spray users to have a license. Other states, additionally, have restrictions on the size of the canister, the concentration of the capsaicin, and the type of pepper spray. For the latter out of these three, certain pepper sprays are better for defense against another human, and others are better for defense against animals, such as dogs or bears. Pepper sprays for animals have a higher concentration of capsaicin and may spray a greater distance.
Once you have purchased pepper spray, practice with the canister. Although situations requiring pepper spray are infrequent, you never know when you'll need to open your purse or find the key ring in your pocket and use your pepper spray. Never spraying in a direct stream is a general rule of using pepper spray, and to have a greater chance of hitting an attacker, make sure the spray either a mist or a solid stream goes in a zigzag pattern. Once the pepper spray is effective, your attacker will be blinded for 30 to 45 minutes.
