Undoubtedly one of the most affordable and effective means of self-defense is sprays. Easy to use, comfortable to wear and legally permitted. And one of their most important characteristics - they are not life-threatening agents. However, what do we need to know about them to make the most appropriate choice? In this article, we will try to provide the most important information in this regard.
Self-defense sprays can be divided into three main groups according to their composition - gas, hot and mixed. According to the spray effect, we can again divide the sprays into three types, such as a cloud, jet spray and gel or foam jet.
For gas sprays, one of the two substances, designated CN (chloroacetophenone) or CS (chlorobenzene malononitrile), is usually used. CN is the first tear gas developed. It was first used during the First World War by the French. Today, it is used mainly by police forces around the world, as a mass riot gear (as well as CS gas). The physiological reaction it provokes is severe eye irritation, accompanied by profuse tears. CS gas is about 10 times more powerful than CN and causes in addition to burning in the eyes and nasopharynx, chest pain, sensation of suffocation and skin irritation. But its effect fades faster than that of CN gas. The disadvantage of both gases is that at low temperatures, their action is weaker as the evaporation slows down. The gas spray creates a broader cloud. But its disadvantage is that in the wind, part of the substance can return to you. It's also important to keep in mind that CS gas sprays have a lower effect on animals than on humans.
Hot sprays have become an increasingly popular alternative to gas in recent years. Their standard marking is OC (Oleoresin Capsicum). The active ingredient in these are capsaicinoids - capsaicin and several similar related chemicals that are extracted from hot peppers. It is these that are the cause of the lute. The effect of eye contact causes severe pain, profuse tears and temporary blindness. On contact with the skin, the substances cause a strong burning sensation. According to the concentration of capsaicinoids, the effect can last between 20 and 90 minutes. As a remedy, hot spray is also very effective against animals like dogs and even bears. Increasingly, police forces around the world are resorting to hot sprays as a non-lethal riot control tool. The content of capsaicinoids in the spray is indicated in percentages that determine its strength. It is measured on a Scoville scale for lute. A standard hot spray usually contains 0.67% capsaicinoids (also known as 10% OC), which corresponds to 1,000,000 units on the Scoville scale. By comparison, hot Tabasco sauces are between 2 and 8 thousand units on this scale. Sprays containing between 1.3 and 2% capsaicinoids (2 and 3 million Scoville units, respectively) are commonly used by law enforcement officials. When sprayed with hot spray, treatment with water does not help, as it does not dissolve capsaicin. There are specially developed substance neutralizing products available in the form of wet wipes and sprays.
Violent self-defense sprays can be cloud-forming, spray-sprayed or concentrated spray and gel or foam spray. The cloud covers the largest area, but in the wind there is always the danger of hitting the sprayer. The jet is easier to control, can direct, and less likely in windy weather, some of the spray will return to you. In the case of gel and foam, this danger is practically reduced to zero. The smaller cuts of the sprays are effective at a distance of about 5-6 meters.
