The popularity of mace pepper spray and other self defense products has grown tremendously over the last few years due to the increase in violent crimes. Law abiding citizens are realizing that they have to depend on devices like this to protect themselves and their families.
It is estimated that at least 15,000,000 Americans now carry personal defense sprays, the majority of which are OC sprays. OC is the active ingredient in pepper spray, which is derived from Cayenne peppers, the hottest peppers in the world. OC is a reddish-orange, oily liquid, insoluble in water. There are around 40 manufacturers of this type of spray, who offer various sizes, formulations and spray types.
Pepper sprays normally come in aerosol type containers, some as small as a tube of lipstick. Some are even small enough to attach to a key chain. Most of these non-lethal devices can be fired several times and have a range between 8 and 20 feet, depending on the model and size. The size of the unit generally determines its capacity.
The OC agent is dispersed by the aerosol in a number of spray patterns depending on the model.
