Pepper
spray is a common tool used for defense by millions of people in this country,
but how does it work? Massachusetts' heavy regulation on the item, requiring a
license, and the university campuses outright ban (for innocent people only) would lead one to believe
this a is a dangerous mysterious substance, but that is far from the case. Most
pepper spray on the market is merely a highly concentrated mixture of
capsaicin, or the chemical in peppers that makes them taste hot, though there
are some other variants on the market which use synthetic active ingredients.
So how
do these mysterious substances work on the human body as a deterrent? Most
people I know say getting pepper sprayed was one of the worst experiences of
their lives, though none of them bear any lasting effects. In fact all of these
people were exposed to the agent as a regular part of law enforcement or
military training. Capsaicin based defensive sprays work by immediately agitating
exposed skin and membrane through
activation of the TRPV1 channel, intended for thermoregulation and temperature
sensing. Plants likely evolved capsaicin to take advantage of this channel as a
defense mechanism… and it clearly does that quite well.
Once
these channels are activated the body responds as it would if there were an
actual burn to the affected area through swelling and mucous production. This
results in a perpetrators eyes swelling shut, as well as difficulty breathing,
all in addition to a good amount of pain and discomfort. The effects usually begin
to subside within 5 minutes to an hour. Pepper spray is used very frequently
both in real life situations and training with no lasting effects. There are,
however, a handful of cases where a death has had pepper spray listed as a
contributing factor, this is often in the case of someone already under
respiratory distress, or with a pre-existing heart condition that is not able
to withstand the additional stress. Generally speaking, however, it is a safe substance
with no known lasting effects after a single exposure.
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So next
time you are at a Umass party that gets broken up by the police, and you find yourself
getting sprayed with pepper spray, just remember no actual damage has been done
to your body, and make sure you ask them to pass the nachos, as you've got some
prime seasoning right there!
Michael Ball (1)
Really interesting that scientists figured out how to use a plants defense mechanism for ones personal protection.!
ReplyDeleteThe mechanism behind Capsaicin's effectiveness via the TRPV1 pathway is interesting seeing as there is no long term hazard to exposure by pepper spray. It would be interesting to see if we could alter the pathway via drug treatment to make someone resistant to pepper sprays affect. Maybe you wouldn't have to run from the UMass cops next time you see them with pepper spray after all. Avoiding their baton... that's a different story.
ReplyDeletePosted by Marshall Moini (2)
Do you know what the common policies of pepper spray are in other states?
ReplyDeleteAshley Sterpka (1)
Most other states have very lax policies surrounding pepper spray and it is often readily available from gas stations to gun shops. Very few states including Massachusetts require a license. Here it may only be sold to or posessed by someone with one of the various firearms license or a Class C FID with pepper spray restriction (at the minimum) While I own pepper spray I don't carry it as a view a firearm as a much better self defense tool.
ReplyDeleteThere are potential long term effects from REPEATED exposures. Capsaicin is used a topical anti pain treatment by overstimulating nerves and causing them to require a "recovery" period.
Michael Ball(1)