imported post
AbNo wrote:
For the presentation.
I'm not looking for inert, but I'd like to point out that spray is pretty damned ineffective.
Also, CN?
Don't use an abbreviation without defining it!
I don't think it is necessarily, ineffective, with any self defense weapon, it is always wise for the user to know the benefits, risks, so on and so forth.
The big thing amongst the 3 most popular types of sprays, is that they can be very ineffective against drug users, drunks, and certain people that have almost no perception of pain. Some of the sprays can work very, very well under the ideal conditions.
At least to me, and from people that I know that exclusively carry "mace" or another type of spray (oc), is that they think it has no faults, and that it is effective on all types of people, which just isn't true. Even in a lot of movies you see people getting sprayed, and within instants the attacker goes down and is incapacitated, it is hard to duplicate this result in real life...
Another thing I have noticed is that a lot of the women who carry a spray keep it in their purse, where they also keep keys, tampons, kleenex, makeup, cell phone, breathmints, gum, mirror, brush, perfume, organizer, pens, wallet, ipod, etc... I don't understand how a woman thinks that if an attacker comes up to them, that they will have time to dig around in their purse for a small can of spray...:?
Anyway, here is something that might come in helpful in your research. Maybe you can share the paper when you are done eh?
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CN
CN contains alphachloroacetaphenone, a man made chemical. The original manufacturer of the formula, Smith & Wesson (MACE), rarely made it available for use to the public, choosing instead to sell it exclusively to law enforcement agencies. CN is a fast acting irritant that usually takes from 3 to 10 seconds to take effect. It is the weakest of the 3 popular spray chemicals. CN is an irritant and works on both skin and mucous membranes. This particular chemical causes a sharp burning sensation that will last about 30 minutes to an hour. If the individual is numb to this pain due to drugs, alcohol or adrenaline, he or she will not feel the pain. Also CN may take as long as 3 to 4 days to fully dissipate. CN has a shelf life of up to 3 years.[/font]
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CS
The other formula for tear gas is orthochlorobenzalmalononitrile, or CS for short. It, like CN, also acts as an irritant to the skin and eyes and will more than likely not work on people who are “hyped-up”. CS is a much stronger chemical than CN but can take much longer to work. In some cases, it can take up to 10, 20, or even 30 seconds or more to work. CS has a five year shelf life. Both CN and CS are man-made chemicals and have been identified as possible toxic agents. Both have short shelf lives and not both can cause long-term skin irritations and toxic reactions. CN has been proven to be less effective than CS against known attackers.[/font]
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OC
Oleoresin capsicum is a derivative of hot peppers and is the newest popular defensive spray agent. It is not an irritant like the tear gasses, but an inflammatory agent. Contact with mucous membranes (eyes, nose, throat and lungs), will cause immediate dilation of the capillaries of the eyes resulting in temporary blindness and instant inflammation of the breathing tube tissues, cutting off all but life support breathing. OC will not deteriorate with age and unlike the tear gasses, will not cause any lasting effects. Because it is an inflammatory rather than an irritant, OC is effective against all those who feel no pain, such as psychotics, drunks and drug abusers. OC is also replacing the tear gas products in the law enforcement community. This is directly due to the fact that OC is more effective, less toxic and exposes the user to less liability. OC is taking the place of more drastic use-of-force methods, so fewer police are being injured, and fewer suspects are being injured by police.[/font]