5 Things You Should Know About This Little Warrior In Your Purse

A canister of pepper spray in your purse is a tool for self-defence which you would hope to never use, and at most, only rarely. But should a situation arise, on a road or in a park or on public transport, it could save you from potential harm.

Pepper spray is legal in India and you do not require any licence or documentation to buy one. Manufacturers, however, need a government licence. 

Here are a few things you should keep in mind before you buy a pepper spray for your safety:

1. The rules in India are unclear about travelling with a pepper spray in public transport, especially on the metro. You need to find out from your local metro-train authorities if you can indeed carry one while travelling.

2. You should also decide on the size of the spray you need to carry. Ideally, it should be handy in any situation. If you want to keep it in a pocket, you can go for a keychain-sized one; if you are carrying it in a purse, you can go for a compact one.

3. The main ingredient in these sprays is an inflammatory agent extracted from chilli peppers. They cause a burning sensation on the skin and in and around the eyes when sprayed on an attacker. They could also cause coughing and shortness of breath. How effective you want the spray to be depends on your choice.

4. You may think that pepper sprays are only able to immobilize people who may cause harm to you. That is not the case. You also get sprays to protect yourself from animal attacks.

5. Having a pepper spray in your pocket or purse is not enough. You should know about its effects, how to use it and the dangers of abusing it. You also need to know how to test it and the precautions you should take while testing it or what to do in case you get pepper-sprayed.