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