pepper spray is basically just pepper and water to spray. It’ll sting your eyes but thats it. Mace is weapons-grade and you need a permit for mace. It causes extreme burning and makes it very hard to breath for around 15 minutes after being sprayed. Trust me. I know.

Mace is an artifically made chemical.

Pepper spray is just what it sounds like — red hot pepper sauce.

Mace is made from, or is tear gas, I’m not sure which. Pepper spray is made from jalapeño pepper oils. Both of these are designed to react with mucus membranes in the eyes. Pepper spray works on animals and mace does not.

The ingredients and their strength.

Over the last several years the popularity of self defense sprays, mistakenly called Mace, has grown considerably.
Just as many people mistakenly refer to soft drinks or cold drinks as “Coke” or refer to a photocopy as a “Xerox,” many people refer to defense sprays as “Mace.”

Mace is a brand marketed by Mace Security International (MSI). MSI originally marketed a particular tear gas self defense spray. Today, Mace brand defense sprays either contain OC pepper, tear gas or both.

Mace is extremely popular and very effective. Pepper spray (Mace) is legal in all 50 states. Some of the effects of these self defense sprays include:

Pepper Spray has four physiological effects that may be experienced:
1. Eyes – tearing, involuntary closing or complete closing due to dilation of the eye capillaries. Eyes will appear red/bloodshot for 30 to 60 minutes. People wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses will be equally affected.

2. Respiratory System – immediate inflammation, including swelling of the throat lining which can restrict the airway size. Respiratory functions return to normal within 10 to 45 minutes. The airway will be open enough to allow for sufficient oxygen flow for survival. Due to the reduced airway flow, the person will probably not receive enough oxygen to continue fighting or other sustained physical exertion. Temporary paralysis of the larynx. Uncontrollable coughing, retching, and gasping for air with a gagging sensation in the throat.

3. Effect on the skin: inflammation of the exposed skin with a burning sensation.

4. Effects on muscle coordination: pepper spray exposure may cause a person to lose balance due to the effect of pepper spray on vision.

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What’s the difference between mace and pepper spray?

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