How Does Pepper Spray Work?

Personal safety is something we all should take seriously. Whether it’s walking down a dark street at night or fighting off grizzly bears on the trail, pepper spray is an effective tool to fend off an attacker and get safely away. But have you ever thought about what gives this personal-defense-in-a-can its bite –– is it just weaponized hot sauce? This week on Reactions, we’re taking a look at what’s going on inside these little canisters, and we’ll give you some tips on what to do if you accidentally spray yourself.

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Credits:
Producer: Elaine Seward
Writer: Elaine Seward & A.J. Fillo
Scientific Consultants: Darcy Gentleman, PhD John Sagebiel, PhD
Executive Producer: Hilary Hudson

Music:
Alandra Lightflower Jones - Strike it up
Wah-Not

Sources:

Ever wonder why dogs sniff each others' butts? Or how Adderall works? Or whether it's OK to pee in the pool? We've got you covered: Reactions a web series about the chemistry that surrounds you every day.

Produced by the American Chemical Society.

[BusinessEnglishWithAshu]

I am watching this because yesterday I was peppersprayed. I was walking in a rather dark and quiet street when a guy approached me on a bicycle and asked for direction. As I began explaining to him he peppersprayed and made off. It hurt like hell for couple of hours. I feel pity for him. If he can hurt someone like this without reason, how miserable and pitiful his own life must be. I wish i could have a coffee with him and listen to what he has to say. I am only glad it was pepperspray and not a baton or a knife...But then an angel passed by. A university student. She helped me and stayed with me till my girlfriend arrived. So there is that. Life is still beautiful, eve though with a bit of headache and twitchy eyes.

[OrganicAwake]

I got pepper sprayed today in training to carry while on duty... can confirm it’s the single most painful experience of my life. It’s like getting hit in the face with an iron hot softball bat. Knocks the wind right out of you and DEFINITELY makes you panic. But I was functional within an hour. Completely less lethal 👍🏻

[borderlineCat]

you: pepper spray
me, an intellectual: *weaponised hot sauce*

[Wagmiman]

I learned recently that it’s illegal to own one in my country

[TheHolydruid]

All fun and games until your country classes pepper spray and guns as the same

[zacharyjohnson]

I've been sprayed by Sabre red which is the strongest OC/Pepper Spray (other than bear spray). Imagine a really bad sunburn. Now imagine your face is also really dry. Now imagine smearing hot sauce onto your sunburn and into your eyes and then sticking your face into boiling hot water. Now, combine all of those sensations into 1 for an hour and a half (it starts to get better at about 30 mins), and now you know what it feels like to be pepper sprayed :). I have to do it again here in a few months. Not excited :(

[slaughterhound]

In my opinion, it's the best item a person can carry for self-defense, short of carrying a firearm; and I do carry a container of pepper spray most of the time.

[ivette]

One of my classmates sprayed it in a paper and everyone was coughing and I was the closest to the paper.

[Auxillia]

Safer than carrying guns around. Most fights happen in very small perimeter, where you and the opponent are only about 5 yards apart or less. If they’re like 20 yards away, well then just run.

[dylanswife]

i sprayed it into the air to see what the big fuss was about and i get that i shouldn't have, my whole family was downstairs and were all coughing and i felt like I couldn't breathe for a sec and i didn't even spray it close to my face.scary

[deadspace]

I've done oc training one time for work, NEVER AGAIN. Make sure to use Johnson Johnsons baby shampoo and cool water cause it's safe on the eyes. The shampoo will clean it off effectively without burning your eyes. Then sit in front of a fan for however long you choose.

[blazeconnolly]

I carry pepper spray with me all the time, just makes sense, as long as it's not too Windy 🌬️ out

[ghost_]

Guys take note and buy it for your girl. You not always gonna be around to protect her.

[MarexKai]

When I was a kid, I took my dad's pepper spray just out of curiosity. I wanted to see what it looked like outside the container, so I sprayed a bit on a piece of paper but I was an idiot and my face was directly above the paper so I got the fumes into my eyes, nose and face. It hurt like shit and I started choking, tearing and was breathing fire for like 30 minutes. If I remember right, I was completely fine within a few hours.

But I guess my experiment was a success and I found out that it looks dark orange when sprayed.

Yes, pepper spray tastes like pepper. I've also tried the world's second hottest sauce so I can confirm that the pepper spray experience is not as painful as the sauce which seems ridiculous considering that one is a weapon and the other an edible sauce.

[menartd]

Well at least they're safer than guns.

[allisonburger]

Best for seasoning Bear Grylls's food

[barrymccaulkiner]

Pepper spray has an expiration. It's usually 2 years since date of manufacture. It's still useful it just won't be as strong so you can sprinkle a little on your food when you're trying to impress your friends that the thai food isn't spicy enough.

[stevenbaer]

Pepper spray work as an inflammatory to eyes, nose, skin, respiratory system, runny nose, blindness, tears, sneezing, discomfort, vomiting, choking, gagging, and shortness of breath. Others are fear, dizziness, double over, panicking, and anxiety. US army studied about the use of pepper spray in 1993, could cause acute hypertension, wheezing, inability to speak, cancer, sensitization, mutagenic, toxicity, possible death but yet it's very rare to find any serious health complications. Just like any chemical defense spray like OC, CS, CN, CA, and several others death is very extremely rare but yet it can occur any time. It depends on how much the person is sprayed or very sensitive to, or maybe sprayed too often. It's considered as a none lethal weapon.

[phinkuhh]

what if the attacker used pepper spray

[jasonMB]

I've never been sprayed, i only inhaled after my cousin sprayed it at my sister in a bedroom. The whole house was polluted. It was 13 years ago, I only remember not being able to breath air or even understand life and rushing out of the house in confusion, then learning that someone sprayed something.