Pepper spray

                                                                            Pepper spray

Pepper spray is a non-lethal defence spray, used by civilians and law enforcement agencies. It comes out in a liquid form and penetrates the victim’s mucous and membranes and skin pores. The absorption is rapid and renders victim helpless, and the most effective range of administering pepper spray is at extremely close range to less than ten feet away (Armstrong, 2008). The victims experience disorientation and pain due to tearing, acute pain, blepharospasm, blurred vision and temporal blindness. Victimology in the context of pepper spray is the study of the victims of pepper spray and the psychology effects after the experience.

Pepper spray comes out in liquid form and stays in this state until it hits the victim. The liquid spray enters the victim’s skin pores and the mucous membranes, causing impaired vision, running nose and tearing of the eyes. The effects of pepper spray such as shortness of breath, excessive coughing, tingling and a burning sensation on the skin, renders the victim helpless (Armstrong, 2008). According to Hunter, pepper spray causes eye tearing, larynx paralysis and burning sensation when in contact with the face (Hunter, 1994).

The victims immediately shield their eyes and bend over, in order to shun further contact with the spray. The effects last for around 20 and 45 minutes, which gives the user ample time to restrain the victim, call for help or run away. The eyes are affected immediately and in a severe manner. “The intense pain and blepharospasm incapacitates the victim” (Keyes, 2005). Other notable effects include periorbital edema, severe lacrimation and conjuctival injection. According to Keyes, the symptoms appear within seconds after contact with the spray (Keyes, 2005).

The upper respiratory system is irritated uniformly, and the victim experiences a stinging sensation in the nose and mouth, accompanied by sneezing, rhinorrhea and increased secretions. The lower tract effects include shortness of breath, coughing and chest tightness. However, the airways and alveoli are protected from damage and irritation by the cilia, although high concentration and longer exposure to pepper spray destroys the protection (Keyes, 2005). Dermatological effects are characterized by pain, irritation, blistering, and a burning sensation, in case of high doses. High moisture and humidity, worsens the effects of pepper spray (Keyes, 2005).

Most of the effects of pepper spray on the victim disappear after 30 minutes without treatment. However, more severe forms of ophthalmologic exposures can be treated like other eye treatment, administered to victims of chemical eye exposure. The contact lenses should be removed and the victim given topical anaesthetics to relief pain. Eye exposure to pepper spray can be treated through blowing of dry air on the eyes, using a fan or hair dryer (Keyes, 2005). The eyes should be checked for foreign objects and any form of injury, especially iritis and severe ocular trauma.

The upper respiratory effects mainly disappear without treatment. In some instances, the lower tract may be affected by toxicity, especially in cases of long exposure to pepper spray. Dyspnea patients should receive humified oxygen treatment, and victims with bronchospasm treated with B-2 agonist (Keyes, 2005). Victims experiencing prolonged chest tightness and dyspnea should be admitted in a medical facility for further observations. Victims with moderate toxicity should use costeroids for treatment. The worst hit by the effects of pepper spray are neonates and infants, due to their under developed protective reflexes (Keyes, 2005). The infants can experience respiratory failure after exposure to pepper spray. This can be treated using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Dermal contamination cases treatment is similar to that of other copius irrigation and chemical burns (Keyes, 2005). An alkaline solution can be used as a decontaminating solution, applied to the affected to the affected regions, which provides symptomatic relief to the victim. Cold silver nitrate is helpful in providing relief to the victim, if applied on the affected parts. In cases of allergic dermatitis, the victim should receive topical corticosteroids treatment (Keyes, 2005).

Pepper spray can be used for self- defence, since they help to subdue the attacker and give enough time for the person to escape or ask for help. In homes, pepper spray is particularly useful if robbers attack. It should be kept in strategic positions such as the bathroom, main doors, and bedrooms, but not within reach of children (Armstrong, 2008). Pepper spray can come in handy and save a person from possible robbery, rape, and other crimes, since it an effective self- defence tool. Victims experiencing the effects of pepper spray are incapacitated for about half an hour, which provides ample time for the person using pepper spray to carry out their intentions. The police sometimes use pepper spray when subduing, arresting violent, and people who try to resist arrest. This gives the police enough time to hand cuff and whisk the person away with minimal resistance.

As the user sprays, he or she should step out to the side and continue spraying the victim, in a tight and circular motion. The user should hold his or her breath for a few seconds, in order to avoid inhaling the blowback, and moving away from the last visual position that the victim saw the user. This is a safety precaution since the victim may close their eyes; hold their breath and rush to the user in the specific place where they saw them last. Hence, it is good for the user to get out of the victim’s path. Users should get well- acquainted with using pepper spray, since it can save lives. Users should be cautious when using pepper spray, especially when the victim has a knife or a gun, to avoid being shot or stabbed with the knife. The user should wait for a good opportunity to use the spray, like when the victim puts the gun down, or when the person with the knife is at least 6 feet away, hence not able to use the weapon (Armstrong, 2008).

The experience with pepper spray is nasty and its memory lasts long on the victim. This affects them psychologically and they dread the thought of the spray being used on them again (Stefan, 2006). This can discourage robbers or other offenders who have encountered the use of pepper spray for the first time. Pepper spray effects are nasty enough, and can discourage offenders to  commit various crimes, since they do not know whether the person they are attacking may be armed with a can of pepper spray or not. When used by police, suspects who resist arrest, and had a prior encounter with pepper spray, will be more cooperative with the police, in order to avoid another excruciating encounter with pepper spray.

In conclusion, pepper spray is useful for self- defence since its effects incapacitates and disorients the victim for 30 minutes. This is enough time for the user to carry out their intentions. Pepper spray effects disappear on their own, depending on the level of exposure and other considerations. In some cases, where victims are exposed to the spray for longer durations, over sensitivity, or infancy, the level of toxicity is higher and requires medical attention, to relief the victim. Under normal circumstances, exposure to pepper spray is not lethal, which makes the spray to be a useful tool for personal security. Pepper spray is useful in homes, offices, security personnel and other areas, which are vulnerable to attacks.

References

Armstrong, S. (2008). Courage, you've got it!: practical & effective self-defense designed by        women for women. Victoria, BC: Trafford.

Hunter, J. C. (1994). Pepper spray. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 63(5), 2

Keyes, D. (2005). Medical response to terrorism: preparedness and clinical practice.           Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Stefan, S. (2006). Emergency department treatment of the psychiatric patient policy issues and     legal requirements. Oxford New York: Oxford University Press.