Pepper spray is a highly effective nonlethal self-defense product. It is included in the standard equipment issued to police officers throughout the world due to its effectiveness an simplicity. It is also available for civilian use throughout the United States with restrictions in only a few states. Pepper sprays are available in a variety of sizes and configurations. Most are small, portable and can easily be mounted on a belt clip or holster, carried in a personal hand bag, attached to a set of keys on a ring or worn on the wrist with strap or lanyard. This means they can be carried just about any where and be deployed quickly to repel an attacker. Larger sized canisters of pepper sprays are available for use indoors and they maybe stored in a drawer, cabinet or mounted on a wall. Some pepper sprays are camouflaged to resemble other objects such as a pen, baton, finger ring and lipstick. Pepper spray may be deployed in a stream, fog or gel. The gel is particularly advantageous because it won’t be blown back to the defender under adverse wind conditions and is resistant to being over sprayed. Pepper spray temporarily disables an attacker by irritating mucous membranes and causes difficulty in breathing, choking, coughing, painful burning sensations and swelling in the eyelids until they shut. This effect is nonlethal and last for approximately 15 – 15 minutes. The active ingredient of pepper spray which causes the aforementioned effects is oleoresin capsicum (OC) which is chemically processed from different types of hot peppers. Common pepper sprays of the most popular brands such as Mace® and Pepper Shot® contain 10% OC by volume. The highest concentration of OC in a pepper spray available to the public is 18%. Although pepper spray is very simple to use, it is still advisable to practice using it in various self-defense situations. Mock pepper spray units that shoot water are available for this purpose. When using pepper spray, target the eyes, nose and mouth. That is where it will be most effective.