Wasp Spray vs Pepper Spray vs Legality

[pitbulld45]

I'm with ya, if I'm standing in the garage trying to get the weed eater started and some thug shows up trying to jack my Cub Cadet and the wasp spray is the only thing close he's getting a face full.

NOOOOOO, not the Cub Cadet!!!!!!!! FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!!!!!!

 

[92FSTech]

Has anybody here advocating for wasp spray ever been sprayed with it? How about pepper spray?

The purpose of an aerosol self defense spray is to deter an attacker so you can get away (or take them into custody if you're a cop). OC (oleoresin capsicum, or pepper spray) is an inflammatory, and it burns like hell when it touches your skin. You don't have to get it in the eyes...it hurts your face, hands, ears...heck, even your junk if it runs down there. Even being in the same room and experiencing cross contamination, you can feel it and get some respiratory effect. Get a full dose in your face and your eyes will slam shut to the point where you can barely force them open, you'll feel like you're suffocating, and it's pretty good at removing the desire to fight.

I've never intentionally sprayed myself with wasp spray, but the little I've gotten on me over the years didn't do that. Sure, it kills bees, and I imagine it's not healthy for a person to ingest, inhale, or otherwise cover themselves in it, but I'm not convinced it would have that same immediately overwhelming effect that OC spray produces. Plus, as others have said, it comes in a huge can that's not convenient to carry. If you're worried about distance, buy the "spray" version of an OC defensive spray (it's also available in fog, cone, and foam).

As to the legalities of spraying somebody with Wasp spray, I'm not a lawyer. Lethal force is obviously lethal force, but the whole point of defensive spray is that it can be used as a less-lethal option when deadly force is not justified. If I ever have to use it for that, I'd much rather make my case in court for why I sprayed somebody with a food-grade aerosolized condiment (OC) than a toxin designed to kill insects.