On a daily basis, people are faced with a barrage of risks ranging from walking down the wrong street to driving to work without wearing a seatbelt—it's up to each individual whether or not they choose to take precautions and avoid these risks altogether.

We'll focus on the defensive and deterrent aspects of pepper spray.

A chemical agent is used to temporarily immobilize a person by causing them to experience breathing difficulties by irritating the eyes, nose, throat, and skin. It is given as an aerosol spray or in a liquid that is then applied with a cloth soaked in the liquid. It consists of a fine mist from canisters that are typically filled with either pepper or tear gas.

This spray consists of capsaicin oil (derived from naturally occurring peppers), which irritates mucous membranes and causes profuse sweating and temporary blindness. When sprayed into the eyes, it will cause tears to run down the face uncontrollably for about 30 minutes after exposure. There is no known antidote to this spray.

Pepper Spray - What is it?

The active ingredient in this spray is oleoresin capsicum, a naturally occurring oil derived from cayenne pepper. The oleoresin capsicum has been diluted to 2% to 15% in most brands of self-defense products including this spray, depending on the intended use.

Most canisters of defense sprays contain 10–35 grams of oleoresin capsicum and sell for very reasonable prices. Although it is illegal to carry sprays of pepper in most countries, it is still considered a useful tool if you're ever faced with an attack.

Self Defense Tool: Effectiveness

The effectiveness of using the spray as a self-defense weapon depends on the amount of oleoresin capsicum present in the solution, and since its effectiveness depends on the heat that is released during exposure, it should be used at close range. In fact, some states do not allow pepper gas to be sold to anyone except police officers and persons living in high-crime areas.

You should choose self-defense spray over other weapons if you want to:

• stop an attack in progress (especially if you're already being attacked by a group of people);

• avoid the possibility of being injured yourself in the process; • protect your face when fighting;

• move away from attackers after attacking them.

How Much Self Defense Sprays Can Stop An Attack? A 2% solution will cause burning and irritation, while a 4% solution may cause temporary blindness. Because the effects of spray last only 30–90 seconds, it will be important to move quickly or get out of harm's way once your attacker is temporarily incapacitated.

Pepper Spraying: Safe to Use or Not?

I always feel like I'm going to have to use pepper spray in self-defense, but is it really safe for me and anybody else that might be around when I do? What about my personal safety--is this spray only meant for the one person who sprayed it on the assailant or do you have to hit them with a lot of rounds before they can't get back up?

While so many people are concerned with the long-term side effects of this product, we're not here today to discuss that. We want you to know what is generally safe while using this spray. It's widely acknowledged that this can cause temporary blindness, which often prevents an assailant from attacking again right away.

In rare cases, you might have to escape or fight back while the pepper spray is in the eyes of the attacker, but temporarily blinding them should give you a chance to get away. But should I be worried about other people around me when I use the spray?

No, it shouldn't be a concern when anyone near you is hit by a stream of this spray. Not only does it quickly evaporate into the air, but its strong odor causes coughing and sneezing for many hours after even brief exposure. If it is sprayed in large quantities, there may be some discomfort for people who breathe in too much of it--but again that's extremely rare.

Proper Way to Use Pepper Spray!

Pepper spray can be a weapon, but it doesn't have to be. I'm going to show you how to use this spray for self-defense without becoming the next victim of your situation. A lot of people carry pepper spray because they're afraid that they might need to use it against another person.

It's important that you don't wait until something happens and then pull out your spray and start shooting when you don't know what's going on. Crouching down may make someone else more aware of their surroundings and stop an attack in its tracks before anything even starts, so practicing your skills is always recommended.

It is a useful weapon for anyone who needs it and can carry it without being searched by security, is a great idea. But you must always be aware of the dangers that come with using this product. When choosing a spray, there are several things that you need to know about the product, including how much heat is there in the spray.

I can tell you from experience that 1% spray hurts like the devil for about 15 minutes on a fresh shot. If your assailant lives through it, they'll have no desire to come back for another round because their eyes will still burn for at least an hour afterward, and possibly even longer depending on your individual physiology and how close you sprayed them.