| Pepper spray is an excellent choice for self defense, | | | | The effects last nearly half an hour. If you've never |
| no matter who you are. It is inexpensive, effective, | | | | seen anyone get sprayed in the face with it, you'll be |
| and legal to carry. Though it's an easy to use | | | | surprised at how fast they go down and how long |
| product, there are some interesting facts that you | | | | they stay down. The effects are nearly immediate, |
| may not know about the spray you're carrying. Here | | | | and a good blast will immobilize anyone for about 15 |
| are a few surprising facts: | | | | to 30 minutes. |
| The inspiration for pepper spray dates back | | | | Pepper spray can be disguised. If you don't like the |
| thousands of years. Though in its current form is | | | | idea of carrying a spray canister everywhere with |
| certainly a modern invention, in ancient times, bags | | | | you, why not pick a spray pen instead? The |
| filled with pepper and spices were commonly thrown | | | | canisters come disguised as almost anything, including |
| at enemies, especially in Asia. In fact, throwing | | | | a pen or cell phone, to make you more comfortable |
| ground peppers in the face of criminals was a | | | | carrying them. |
| common practice in ancient Japan, where the practice | | | | Pepper spray can help catch the perpetrator. It isn't |
| was actually used as a form of punishment. | | | | just for scaring criminals away or making them stop |
| Pepper spray can be used against animals, too. It can | | | | their attack. Today, many sprays include invisible UV |
| be used against bears, mountain lions, dogs, and | | | | dye. Your attacker won't know he's marked until he's |
| nearly any other animal that may be attacking you. In | | | | caught and the police put him under a blacklight. |
| fact, all U.S. Postal Service carriers have spray to use | | | | Then, the effects of the dye will become readily |
| as protection against dog attacks. This versatile | | | | apparent. This is a very useful tool in making a |
| spray is useful against both human and animal | | | | positive identification. |
| attacks. | | | | Pepper spray is not tear gas. They often get |
| It is a lot hotter than peppers. The hotness of both | | | | grouped together, but they're not the same thing. |
| rated in SHUs, or Scoville Heat Units. The typical bell | | | | Although early forms of pepper spray, particularly the |
| pepper rates close to zero on this scale. A jalapeno | | | | Mace brand name, did contain the same chemicals as |
| pepper is about 5000 SHU, and a habanero about | | | | tear gas, today they are completely different |
| 300,000. Typical sprays rate at about 2 million SHU, | | | | products formulated for different uses. Tear gas is |
| and some even approach 3 million SHU. In other | | | | formulated for crowd-control type uses, while pepper |
| words, they pack quite a powerful punch, | | | | spray is designed to be effective against one person |
| incomparable to peppers in their natural form, when it | | | | or a small group. |
| comes to their burning effect. | | | | |