Pepper spray

This article is about the chemical compound. For devices used to dispense it, see Pepper-spray projectile.
U.S. Marines being subject to pepper spray
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Pepper spray
Heat Exceptionally hot
Scoville scale1,250,000[a] SHU

Pepper spray, oleoresin capsicum spray, OC spray, capsaicin spray, or capsicum spray is a lachrymator (tear gas) product containing the compound capsaicin as the active ingredient that irritates the eyes to cause burning and pain sensations, as well as temporary blindness. Its inflammatory effects cause the eyes to close, temporarily taking away vision. This temporary blindness allows officers to more easily restrain subjects and permits people in danger to use pepper spray in self-defense for an opportunity to escape. It also causes temporary discomfort and burning of the lungs which causes shortness of breath. Pepper spray is used as a less lethal weapon in policing, riot control, crowd control, and self-defense, including defense against dogs and bears.[5][6]

Pepper spray was engineered originally for defense against bears, mountain lions, wolves and other dangerous predators, and is often referred to colloquially as bear spray.

Kamran Loghman, the person who developed it for use in riot control, wrote the guide for police departments on how it should be used. It was successfully adopted, except for improper usages such as when police sprayed peaceful protestors at University of California, Davis in 2011. Loghman commented, "I have never seen such an inappropriate and improper use of chemical agents", prompting court rulings completely barring its use on docile persons.[7][8][9]

  1. ^ "Chemical hazards in law enforcement". The Police Policy Studies Council. Retrieved 2009-02-09. Most law enforcement sprays have a pungency of 500,000 to 2 million SHU. One brand has sprays with 5.3 million SHU.
  2. ^ Jamie Smith (October 15, 2020). "What is pepper spray, and is it dangerous?". Medical News Today. reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph.D. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  3. ^ Twilight Greenaway (10 January 2013). "How Hot is That Pepper? How Scientists Measure Spiciness". Smithsonian.com, US Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  4. ^ "Red Pepper Spray Ingredients and Formula". sabrered.com. SABRE - Security Equipment Corp. Archived from the original on 2015-01-05. Retrieved 2022-09-01. Sabre Red=10% OC @ 2,000,000 Scoville Heat Units. Thus, 90% of the formulation dilutes the 2,000,000 SHUs creating a Scoville Content of 200,000.
  5. ^ "Bear Spray Vs. Dogs: How Effective Is It?". Tbotech.com. 2009-07-04. Archived from the original on 2012-11-15. Retrieved 2011-12-02.
  6. ^ "Pepper Spray". Llrmi.com. Archived from the original on 2015-06-23. Retrieved 2011-12-02.
  7. ^ "276 F3d 1125 Headwaters Forest Defense and Molly Burton v. The Coun". United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. F3d (276): 1125. November 11, 2002 – via openjurist.org.
  8. ^ Seelye, Katharine Q. (November 22, 2011). "Pepper Spray's Fallout, From Crowd Control to Mocking Images". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 21, 2019. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  9. ^ Hemphill, Kenny (August 4, 2015). "10 Inventors Who Came to Regret Their Creations". Mental Floss. Archived from the original on April 28, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2020.


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