I don't know exactly why, but where I live, at least (Detroit, USA, FYI), the police and the public have to use two separate types of self-defense spray, known colloquially as "mace" (which I think also may be its original brand name). Anyways, as I said, I don't the exact logic behind it. But I can tell you one thing: OTC mace just doesn't work. About 15 or 20 years ago, they had this local reporter test out the mace this civilian woman had. He ran at her, and she got a good squirt in his face. End result: absolutely nothing. It just made him wheeze and cough a little. And it did make his eyes water, like that even matters. Then the same reporter had a police officer spray him, with a tear-gas/hot pepper compound. Naturally, it worked like a charm. As I said, I don't know why there is the difference and the discrepancy. But the moral is clear: don't even bother buying the stuff over-the-counter. It will just make your attacker more mad. And more emboldened. Now, they do sell the good stuff on the black market. But getting caught with that is like getting caught with a concealed weapon (which is how it is even classified, naturally). They also have bear mace, which might be a little stronger, but which is probably equally illegal, to use against a human. Simple conclusion: don't do either one of these things. It's really not worth it. Anyways, I guess I have a question too: Why can't the public have the good stuff? I know where I live, you can have a concealed weapons permit, and carry a pistol. You certainly can carry a big walking stick with you, as one police officer once told me, which ironically would probably be more effective than the layman's mace. So why not the good stuff? And what do they expect the public to do with this inert stuff, that as I said, would probably just make your attacker more angry? I patiently await your replies. oliceman: :gorgeous:
I understand that it's fairly simple to make your own, and I'd be interested to see how a home-brew stands up to the real mccoy. I imagine it's hard to get hold of because it's hjust as useful to a mugger as it is to a muggee, but it's still immoral to sell something to someone for self defense if you know that it's innefective, and should be illegal. For anyone interested in non-lethal self defence, think flashlights with high-power strobe functions are a good shout. I've tested some before and you they pretty much instantly blind you, while lighting you up to the person holding them.
