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