From Wikipedia: The Effects of Pepper Spray

[TomClash]

Pepper spray is an inflammatory agent. It causes immediate closing of the eyes, difficulty breathing, runny nose, and coughing.<3> The duration of its effects depends on the strength of the spray but the average full effect lasts around thirty to forty-five minutes, with diminished effects lasting for hours.

<snip>

The European Parliament Scientific and Technological Options Assessment (STOA) published in 1998 “An Appraisal of Technologies of Political Control”<5> with extensive information on pepper spray and tear gas. They write:

"The effects of pepper spray are far more severe, including temporary blindness which lasts from 15–30 minutes, a burning sensation of the skin which lasts from 45 to 60 minutes, upper body spasms which force a person to bend forward and uncontrollable coughing making it difficult to breathe or speak for between 3 to 15 minutes."

For those with asthma, taking other drugs, or subject to restraining techniques which restrict the breathing passages, there is a risk of death. The Los Angeles Times has reported at least 61 deaths associated with police use of pepper spray since 1990 in the USA.<6> The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) documented 27 people in police custody who died after exposure to pepper spray in California since 1993.<2><7><8> However, the ACLU report counts any death occurring within hours of exposure to pepper spray. In all 27 cases, the coroners' report listed other factors as the primary cause of death, though in some cases the use of pepper spray may have been a contributing factor.<2>

The US Army concluded in a 1993 Aberdeen Proving Ground study that pepper spray could cause "utagenic effects, carcinogenic effects, sensitization, cardiovascular and pulmonary toxicity, neurotoxicity, as well as possible human fatalities. There is a risk in using this product on a large and varied population".<9> However, the pepper spray was widely approved in the US despite the reservations of the US military scientists after it passed FBI tests in 1991. As of 1999, it was in use by more than 2000 public safety agencies.<10>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepper_spray

[IndyPragmatist]

1. I was once hit by pepper spray intended for someone else

It burns pretty bad. There were two officers, the one that didn't spray it saw that I got hit by it and rushed over with some solution for my eyes. Once I rinsed my eyes, the pain was gone.

If you are going to protest, it might be a good idea to buy some of the solution. After a few minutes, I was perfectly fine, while the woman who was pepper sprayed was still screaming and in tears.


And I'm sure someone will ask. The girl was extremely drunk and was trying to get back into a bar after getting kicked out, I was in line to go in. In recent weeks, a bunch of girls on campus had claimed they were beaten by police when arrested. However, word around campus was that they weren't beaten, they were just making it up after the fact. The campus police actually put up fliers about their new policy of using pepper spray instead of force. The girl deserved to be sprayed, I was just caught in the crossfire.

[indepat]

2. The NYPD's cavalier use of pepper spray on lawful protesters is seemingly criminal

:patriot:

[CanonRay]

3. It hurts

for quite a while, too.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

4. IMO, having less lethal alternatives to physical force is beneficial.

Pepper Spray is far more humane than bullets and billy clubs.

[Nye Bevan]

5. Agreed. Not to minimize this, but 15 minutes of temporary blindness is not the worst thing

that ever happened to a protestor. I am very glad that we are debating watery eyes and itchy skin rather than multiple shooting deaths.

[Auntie Bush]

8. I's a lot more than watery eyes and itchy skin. But yes,

it is better than bullets and batons. However, it should not be used in an indiscriminate manner and it can too easily be abused...and it is.

[TomClash]

6. Unless the victim has asthma . . .

. . . in which case it may be fatal.

There is something sadistic about a NYPD supervisor walking over to a young woman on the lawful side of a police barricade and dousing her with pepper spray.

[WinkyDink]

7. Why was force needed at all?

[TomClash]

9. it wasn't

Tony Bologna is a thug who does not belong on a professional police force.

[Raster]

10. Because the lords of money decreed that the rabble be removed from their temples of greed.