You may purchase, possess, and use pepper spray as long as you do so only for self-defense purposes. Interestingly, in California, “use” includes not just discharging the weapon, but displaying it in a threatening manner. It is no defense to a charge of improper use that the canister was empty or otherwise inoperable.

Pepper spray is a defensive device, used to temporarily stop a threat and allow the user to escape physical harm from their assailant. It is unlawful for the user to use pepper spray for any other reason and could incur criminal and civil penalties if used for other purposes.

The Environmental Protection Agency regulates bear spray as a pesticide, with an agency-mandated warning label that states, in part, “HAZARDS TO HUMANS: May cause irreversible physical eye damage if sprayed in the eye at close range.

Pepper spray can be store in a car as long as it stays in a dry environment within the right temperature range. This is usually somewhere between -5 degrees and 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Just make sure it is easily accessible but kept out of the reach of children.

Don’t rely totally on pepper spray to stop an attack. The effects of pepper spray may vary from person to person, but will last between 15 and 45 minutes. Pepper spray typically has a range of about 10 feet, allowing the user to spray an attacker from a distance.

The effective range of most spray canisters is approximately 3-10 feet depending on whether the canister emits a mist or stream. In my experience, when a person properly carries pepper spray they become hyper-vigilant.

When pepper spray comes into contact with a person’s eyes, it causes immediate eye closure, acute eye pain, and temporary blindness. Some people describe a bubbling or boiling sensation and severe discomfort. Pepper spray can also have the following effects: a dry cough or wheezing.