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SALT LAKE CITY -- The latest fad to catch on in America may end up burning its followers.
As the Occupy protests have continued, and as Americans have dived into the holiday shopping season with zeal, pepper spray seems to have taken hold of the hearts of Americans as a way to solve minor disputes.
One police officer faced disciplinary action after allegedly unnecessarily using pepper spray Sept. 24 on a group of women protesting at New York City's Zuccotti Park as a part of the Occupy Wall Street movement.
In a separate case, the University of California, Davis made headlines after a police officer casually pepper sprayed a group of passive protesters who were sitting on the university's sidewalk in support of the Occupy movement and refused to leave.
Pepper spray has also been used in cases at Occupy Seattle and Occupy Portland encampments.
A New York woman used pepper spray on shoppers at a local Walmart earlier this month "in order to get an advantage" over other shoppers looking for Black Friday deals, and shoppers in line at the Orem Walmart were pepper-sprayed Thanksgiving night by a passing car.
Every situation is different, and we use whatever tools we have that we deem necessary at the time to reasonably stop the threat.
–Cary Wichmann
The incidents have caused some to question whether America has become infatuated with pepper spray, ignoring its potential harmful effects.
"Pepper spray can definitely be considered a weapon, even though there are not often permanent effects," said Detective Cary Wichmann, of the Salt Lake City Police Department. "It is not something that just hurts a little and goes away, and it's not something people should take lightly when deciding whether to use it."
That is because the spray is not as innocent as its common name would suggest. It is known to police officers as OC spray, for Oleoresin Capsicum. The active ingredient, capsaicin, is a chemical derived from plants in the capsicum genus, such as chilis.
The heat of peppers and pepper-derived products such as pepper spray is measured in Scoville units, so named after the American pharmacist who developed the intensity scale. Sweet bell peppers have a score of zero, while habanero peppers score 350,000 Scoville Heat Units.
First Defense MK-4, the type of pepper spray the Salt Lake City Police Department uses and a type that is widely available to consumers, scores 500,000 SHU. MK-4 is the most widely used spray in law enforcement, but some sprays' SHU range in the low millions.
A pepper-spray blast to the eyes likely will not do permanent damage -- the body can typically heal the outer layer of the cornea well. Too much pepper spray, though, can lead to permanent damage.
Inhalation is also a concern. Pepper spray inflames the airways, sometimes leading to swelling and restriction of breath. This poses a particular problem to people with respiratory conditions such as asthma.
Wichmann said people should keep the risks in mind before resorting to using pepper spray, making sure its use is reasonable and necessary to defend themselves. Otherwise, it could lead to an assault or battery charge, a Class B misdemeanor.
Police officers have no set standards for when pepper spray can be used, but they, too, follow the "reasonable and necessary" guideline for use, according to Wichmann.
He said officers generally try a hands-on arrest or intervention before resorting to pepper spray, but it is up to each officer to decide what his or her best option is.
"The ultimate goal is to reduce the chance of injury to both the suspect and the officer," he said. "Every situation is different, and we use whatever tools we have that we deem necessary at the time to reasonably stop the threat."
Wichmann said officers receive "hours and hours" of training to be able to make a snap decision at the time of a threat due to the speed with which dangerous situations develop.
Most people have not had that training, though, and making a snap decision may turn into something they will regret.
"I would urge anyone who possesses pepper spray to be extremely cautious," he said. "Ask yourself if its use is necessary to defend yourself from physical harm."
