| Pepper spray is now endorsed and used by | | | | measuring the power of capsaicin. Originally |
| nearly every law enforcement agency | | | | Scoville would have five tasters sip a |
| throughout the U.S.A. and other countries | | | | mixture which included the pepper extract and |
| around the world. More effective than Mace | | | | give it a grade based upon the level of heat |
| and Tear Gas, it seldom causes permanent | | | | that the majority (3) felt. |
| injury when properly used in self-defense or | | | | |
| as a neutralizing agent and has only | | | | Due to the invention of the computer, today |
| temporary effects. Pepper spray gives today's | | | | the value is established through a method |
| law enforcement officers a means to control | | | | called high-performance liquid chromatography |
| subjects without resorting to a physical | | | | (HPLC). The pepper scale ranges from zero |
| confrontation or to deadly force. | | | | Scoville unit for a bell pepper to 5,000 or |
| | | | so for a jalapeno to 200,000-300,000 for a |
| In the search for a non-lethal method of | | | | habanero! Pure capaicin is 15,000,000 |
| crowd control scientists produced pepper | | | | Scoville Heat Units (SHU). The oleoresin |
| spray. Pepper spray was originally introduced | | | | capsicum used in a superior pepper spray |
| in the U.S. in the 1980s by the Postal | | | | formula is derived from the hottest peppers |
| Service as a dog repellent. It was also used | | | | and further processed and refined until the |
| to defend against attacking bears and other | | | | heat rating is 5,300,000. |
| animals. The FBI endorsed it as an "official | | | | |
| chemical agent" in 1987 but it wasn't until | | | | A Little known Fact |
| 1991 that more than 3,000 local law | | | | |
| enforcement agencies added it to their | | | | The Naga Jolokia pepper has been tested at |
| arsenals. This surge of interest hinged on a | | | | over 1,001,300 Scoville heat units! Almost |
| widely circulated and influential study by a | | | | twice as hot as the old champ, the Red Savina |
| special agent of the F.B.I... | | | | Habanero. |
| | | | |
| A Little Pepper Spray History | | | | Choosing a Pepper Spray |
| | | | |
| Dating back as far as ancient China, we can | | | | Look for the pepper spray by its Scoville |
| find the fiery red chili pepper's bite used | | | | Heat unit rating, ease of use and safety |
| as a weapon. The Chinese put ground cayenne | | | | features when shopping for a pepper spray. |
| chili pepper in rice paper and flung it in | | | | Sizes can range from a 1/2 ounce personal |
| the face of their opponents. Millions of fans | | | | pepper spray up to 9 ounces for the bear |
| of Kung Fu movies have seen bad guy Japanese | | | | pepper spray. Defensive sprays come in |
| ninjas remove ground pepper from their secret | | | | Keychain sizes and sizes easily carried on a |
| chest pocket to blow it into his opponents | | | | belt or in a purse. Some are made like |
| eyes as soon as the good guy starts to beat | | | | lipstick cases and others like jewelry rings. |
| him up. During Japan's Tukagawa Empire, | | | | Even the smallest units have enough in them |
| police used the "Mitsubishi," a box used to | | | | to deter an attack. In self-defense |
| blow pepper into the eyes. That right, the | | | | situations a good spray will immobilize an |
| "Mitsubishi". | | | | attacker and allow you to take control of the |
| | | | situation and escape. Report the incident to |
| When Columbus dropped anchor in the New World | | | | the police right away. Some pepper sprays |
| in search of spices, he discovered chili | | | | contain UV DYE which later help in the |
| peppers. Thinking he was in "India", he | | | | description of the assailant in order to make |
| called native Americans "Indians". He also | | | | an arrest possible. Another aspect of pepper |
| named chilies "peppers", thinking they were | | | | spray that makes it attractive is its |
| related to black pepper, Piper Nigrum, which | | | | affordability. At an initial cost of $10 to |
| they are not. The family of chili peppers is | | | | $25 per canister, and If you add a Pepper |
| called "Capsicum". Good ole "wrong way | | | | Spray Training manual you can have excellent |
| Columbus". | | | | protection for under $50.00. |
| | | | |
| Oleoresin Capsicum (OC). Oleoresin stands for | | | | Who uses Pepper Spray? |
| oleo = oil + resin = extract obtained from a | | | | |
| plant, and Capsicum is the Latin word for | | | | Police Officers |
| pepper, so Oleoresin Capsicum means quite | | | | |
| literally "pepper extract in oil". OC is an | | | | Security guards |
| inflammatory agent derived from hot chili | | | | |
| peppers such as jalapenos, chiletpin, cayenne | | | | Parents |
| and habaneros. Pepper Spray causes an intense | | | | |
| burning sensation, temporary blindness, | | | | Nannies |
| restricted breathing, and disorientation and | | | | |
| is very painful upon contact. | | | | Postal workers |
| | | | |
| "The Journal of Investigative Ophthalmology | | | | Cab drivers |
| and Visual Science published a study that | | | | |
| concluded that single exposure of the eye to | | | | Merchants |
| OC is harmless, but repeated exposure can | | | | |
| result in long-lasting changes in corneal | | | | Forest rangers |
| sensitivity. They found no lasting decrease | | | | |
| in visual acuity." | | | | Campers |
| | | | |
| Rating the Strength of Pepper Sprays | | | | Runners |
| | | | |
| The heat of the pepper spray is determined by | | | | Walkers |
| the very powerful alkaloid capsaicin | | | | |
| (cap-say-a-sin). A single drop of tasteless | | | | Bike riders |
| and odorless capsaicin in 100,000 drops of | | | | |
| water creates a noticeable heat. Believe it | | | | And a whole slew of ordinary |
| or not Capsaicin can be detected by humans at | | | | citizens. |
| one part per ten million. | | | | |
| | | | In conclusion, Pepper sprays not only offer |
| The most important factor in the rating of | | | | law enforcement officers a needed degree of |
| Pepper Spray potency is the Scoville heat | | | | flexibility to confront non-cooperative |
| rating. | | | | subjects, but also allows private citizens |
| | | | and communities the opportunity to explore |
| The Scoville Organoleptic Test was named | | | | this new and effective alternative to using |
| after a pharmacologist named Wilbur Scoville | | | | deadly force for self-protection. And |
| who in 1912 came up with the standard for | | | | remember- please be careful out there! |