Pepper spray

Pepper spray, oleoresin capsicum spray, OC spray, capsaicin spray, mace, or capsicum spray is a lachrymator (tear gas) product containing as its active ingredient the chemical compound capsaicin, which irritates the eyes with burning and pain sensations and so causes them to close, bringing temporary blindness. This blindness allows officers to more easily restrain subjects and permits people in danger to use pepper spray in self-defense for an opportunity to escape. It also causes temporary discomfort and burning of the lungs which causes shortness of breath. Pepper spray is used as a less lethal weapon in policing, riot control, crowd control, and self-defense, including defense against dogs and bears.

Pepper spray was engineered originally for defense against bears, cougars, wolves and other dangerous predators, and is often referred to colloquially as bear spray.

Kamran Loghman, who developed it for use in riot control, wrote the guide for police departments on how it should be used. It was successfully adopted, except for improper usages such as when police sprayed peaceful protestors at University of California, Davis, in 2011. Loghman commented, "I have never seen such an inappropriate and improper use of chemical agents", prompting court rulings completely barring its use on docile persons.