Our society today is no longer a safe place to live. Violence and other immoral acts are happening in every corner of the country. You might even find yourself or your loved as the victim of this atrocity. To spare yourself from being a subject of violence, there are simple ways to do in which you can prevent them. There are now self-defense training that could give you higher level of protection in each you are trapped in an uncompromising situation. Many organizations are now offering workshops and other self-defense training sessions that will teach you on how you can effectively handle each situation. Learning self-defense could be a great option but many are still hesitant in taking these classes.
For those who don't want to take these lessons, they can always opt for self-defense weapons which could also protect them in the same level as the self-defense training. Patrons of these self-defense weapons are mostly women as they are usually the easy target of any kind of violence. Being equipped with a self-defense weapon gives women the chance to protect themselves from any harm. This way, statistics on sexual assault and any violence on women could go down. The mace and the pepper spray are the most common self-defense weapons that are usually found on women's purse or bags. These weapons are effective protection that offers portability and reliability. These two sprays are legal and can be found in every market in the country. This is a perfect alternative in impending violence against your attackers.
Though these two products are both sprays, you can still notice their big difference. There has been a great debate on which is more effective. Now, this article will give you a comprehensive information that would help you determine on which product would give you utmost protection against your attackers.
First let's tackle about the mace. This kind of self-defense product is a one percent aerosol irritant and inflammatory substance to cause extreme pain on the eyes of your attacker. Those who are sprayed with this substance could experience excessive burning of the eyes hence causing them temporary blindness. Also, the nasal passages and the lungs will be irritated hence your attacker would find it difficult to breathe. With this, you are given enough time to run and seek for help to other pedestrians.
Meanwhile, the pepper spray is also known as the OC spray which is basically a liquid that is made from hot peppers and are suspended in an oily carrier. This oil will prompt the hot pepper to irritate the skin hence causes discomfort to any one who is exposed to the pepper spray. While the two products have different ingredients, they still have the same effects. However, the effect of the pepper spray may be strong but it is not as crippling as the mace. Both of these products offer you great protection so just make sure to use them properly. If not executed as it should, you might also be a victim of these sprays.
How are Self Defense Sprays Made? There are 3 main ingredients that go into self defense sprays. Two of them are types of tear gas and called CS and CN. They irritate the membranes and cause uncontrolled tear flow and mucous discharge. It's amazing when you see the stopping power of just this irritant alone. The third and perhaps most common chemical today is OC (Oleoresin Capsicum), commonly known as pepper spray. OC is an inflammatory agent made from hot cayenne and other peppers. Upon contact to the soft mucous membranes, it causes an intense burning sensation, temporary blindness, restricted breathing and disorientation. Pepper spray is a hot selling product on the market now. How does tear gas and pepper spray compare when used? With tear gas, you generally cannot fight through the pain. Since the tearing and choking is uncontrollable, it will blind and choke the victim if it contacts the mucous membranes. However, tear gas isnt as effective for drug crazed, drunk or super tough assailants. Only pepper spray works to deter dogs, bears, and other wild animals. Tear gas disburses fumes and you dont have to nail the attacker in the eyes. Pepper spray does not emit fumes, and it will not deteriorate with age, but it must be sprayed in the eyes or inhaled directly to be effective. Tear gas takes take longer to be effective, anywhere from 5 seconds to 30 seconds, while the effects of pepper spray are almost instantaneous. You can wash pepper spray off with soap and water, but with tear gas they'll have to suffer the effects for hours or days. MACE has a pepper spray gel however that is hard to wipe and wash off! They also have a "triple action" product, that contains both tear gas AND pepper spray so you have the best of all three chemicals. It also contains a UV dye so the cops can easily ID the person who attacked you. So what so good about carrying these types of sprays? They have been time tested by police all over the world and are still heavily used for crowd control today. They are non-lethal and very effective when sprayed in the face of an attacker, giving you plenty of time to run! Because of its non-deadly effectiveness, unlike a gun, you may actually use it before being hurt by your assailant, and this early action may save your life. Sprays are cheap, and legal almost anywhere. Even so, you should still be aware of its limitations. Pepper spray may take a few seconds to disable and attacker, so that assailant may be able to take your canister away from you, before the effects of the spray kick in. That means your own weapon may be used against you. Also, wind and rain may reduce its range and effectiveness. You may get spray-back when sprayed against strong wind.[I:0:T] How effective are the various brands of pepper spray? Pepper spray is rated in two ways: OC% and SHU rating. The % you see listed on the container explains how much OC is in the container relative to the other ingredients (propellant, dyes, etc.). This percentage cannot always be used to compare the "hotness" of different pepper sprays, and there are mixtures of various potencies of OC. The hotness of OC is directly related to the amount of the capsaicin in the OC, which varies significantly from manufacturer to manufacturer. The amount of capsaicin in OC is rated in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). To compare the hotness of two different pepper sprays, SHU rating is more important. The more capsaicin content the OC has, the hotter & more effective the spray will be. Two million SHU will be sufficient. Will pepper spray expire? How often should I replace my pepper spray? Most sprays have an expiration date stamped on the side of the canister. OC will not degrade over time, but the propellant may, and then the unit may not spray as far as expected, if at all. To make sure that propellant does not go bad, you should test your spray every 90 days. Every time you perform a test, you reduce the contents of the canister. If you are using a key chain model and you test regularly you may need to replace the unit every 9 to 12 months. How fast does it work and how long does it last? Pepper spray usually begins intense burning within 3-5 sec, and can last up to an hour or longer. The UV dyes can last up to a week to wash off. When should I use pepper spray? Use pepper spray if you are threatened or your life is in danger. And use it only in defense of people, not property. Always maintain situational awareness and remember that its a crime to use self-defense sprays in an offensive manner.[I:2:J] What is difference between foam, spray, gel, and fogger? It depends on what your going to need it for. Mace brand gels and foams are preferred by many as they are really hard to wipe off and they still spray in a stream, and it just spreads and burns! The stream is easier to aim into the eyes and mouth. The fogger is good for crowd control. Where do I store my pepper spray? Anywhere away from kids and heat! It's tempting to leave it in you car, but don't leave it there on hot days. The propellant is under pressure and you don't want it to leak into your car! Carry your defense spray in a place where you can get to it easily. The bottom of a purse is not a good place! Try using a clip so that you can quickly deploy it if needed, and try to keep it in the same comfortable place at all times. Also practice with it so that your already familiar with your weapon when you need to use it. The keychain pepper sprays are very convenient, and you are more likely to carry them with you all the time because of their smaller size. How do I use pepper spray? It is very important that you get some training and practice with the specific spray you are going to carry. Study the canister, the nozzle, and the dispenser. Take your canister to an open field, make sure the wind, if any, is at your back, and fire it for about two seconds. How far will it spray? Is the spray a stream or a foggy mist? How did it react to the wind? Can you spray it into the eyes of an attacker? In an emergency situation, make sure you have distance between you and the attacker. Don't get within their grabbing distance. Fire 2 or 3 second bursts directly into the eyes of the attacker. If it is not working, give them another two seconds. The small pocket or purse size will give you between 5 and 10 seconds of continual fire. Once the threat is stopped, run immediately and call the police. If your spray contains UV dye, tell the police that. It can help the police to identify your attacker. Is Pepper Spray Legal in my state? Pepper spray is LEGAL in all fifty states. However, some states and cities have specific regulations pertaining to the purchase, possession and use of defense sprays. Please check with your local law enforcement agency for any regulations your state may have. New York: the sellers must be local licensed firearm dealers or local pharmacies. Massachusetts: the buyer is required to obtain a Firearms Identification Card (FID); the sellers must be local licensed firearm dealers. Michigan: OC Pepper Spray can be no stronger than a 2% concentrate. CS is the only Tear Gas accepted. Both must be no larger than 35 grams per can. No combination sprays allowed. Wisconsin: Pepper spray only. No Tear Gas, UV Dye or combination sprays. OC Pepper Spray can be no stronger than a 10% concentrate. The can must be between 15-60 grams only. They must have safety feature. California: Canisters cannot be more than 2.5 ounces. Animal Repellents such as bear spray and dog spray are legal and can be shipped to New York, Wisconsin and Michigan. Is there anyplace where I cannot carry pepper spray? Yes. You cannot carry any pepper spray on an airplane or in carry-on luggage or in the passenger area. The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) allows one Pepper Spray (up to 4 oz) per traveler in your checked luggage only. How do I remove pepper spray? If you get pepper spray on yourself, dont panic. Water, soap and time are all that is needed to decontaminate you. Exposure to fresh air should help, too. Remove all contaminated clothing. Flush the affected area with cool water. Warm water may intensify the burning and inflammation. Do not rub your face! Wash the affected area with non-oil or cold cream based soap. Don't apply oily lotions--they will trap OC resin onto your skin. Have a physician examine the exposed area if any irritation or pain persists after the decontamination procedures.
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