(edit title) Pepper Spray Illegal What is the rationale? Options

[organic225]

Anyone have any insight into why pepper spray is illegal in Sweden? What is the rationale behind this?

[gplusa]

For the same reason it's illegal in most countries. It's a weapon.

[byke]

Blonde women have been known to get confused with pepper spray and tried to use it in food preparation. Often resulting in injury to theirselves or their loved ones. This being removed from the market due to incompetence and lost in translation.

Heja Sverige

[Yorkshireman]

It is covered in the weapon law, similar to teargas, You can get a license from the police to carry/use pepperspray ... though as it says they are very restricted:

http://www.polisen.se/Lagar-och-regler/Vapen/Forvaring/
(bottom of the page)

However, there is nothing that says You can't just fling tabasco or something similar into an attackers face ... that isn't a "shooting" weapon

[byke]

There are places on the Internet that show how to make it.One example
http://m.instructables.com/id/Homemade-pepper-spray/

[*Guest*]

Legal schmegal I dont give a f-in crap. When my wife and I moved back here and she was walking home from Avenyn in Gothenburg to our flat in Majorna when the serial rapist was on the loose you better believe I bought her the highest strength spray I could find on the net. Women should not have to fear walking home at night. Lord knows the justice system isnt going to help her out here if she gets raped anyways, better to solve it yourself.

[byke]

Many seem to forget that the line between prostitution and rape can be very blurred.
And since it's only immigrants and less desirables who become prostitutes, Sweden feels safe in the knowledge that women are safe.

[byke]

This is what you want.

http://robert.foo.my/2010/10/anti-rape-female-condom.html

[Puffin]

Legal schmegal I dont give a f-in crap. When my wife and I moved back here and she was walking home from Avenyn in Gothenburg to our flat in Majorna when the serial rapist was ... (show full quote)

Legal schmegal I dont give a f-in crap. When my wife and I moved back here and she was walking home from Avenyn in Gothenburg to our flat in Majorna when the serial rapist was on the loose you better believe I bought her the highest strength spray I could find on the net. Women should not have to fear walking home at night. Lord knows the justice system isnt going to help her out here if she gets raped anyways, better to solve it yourself. ... (hide full quote)

IMHO pepper spray is usually next to useless in the majority of situations - most people never actually get round to using it - often by the time you have got it out of your handbag you would have got away. Many peply also freeze when attacked. Better to learn some simple self defence and evasive strategies and practice running skills

If you want to carry something to disable an attacker try simple household items that won't land you in court on a weapons charge
- hairspray
- spray deoderant
- actual pepper /cayenne
- chilli powder

[John.Smith]

+1
Even a hand full of coins thrown at the attacker is pretty good. I have also seen in Claus Ohlsson that you can get a personal alarm (size of a matchbox) that when you pull a chord it emits a high pitched wail. Again, quite effective.

The old rule of the best defense is offense is not always applicable so better to seek a way out of the situation rather than engage your attacker.

[Puffin]

The old rule of the best defense is offense is not always applicable so better to seek a way out of the situation rather than engage your attacker.

My old Karate sensei used to say that you are in major trouble if you have to stand and fight and that the best self defence is to perfect various strategies for running away

[byke]

Keep a tin of Surströmming in your bag.

That way you can wack your assailant, or tip it onto him.
As the smell of that stuff is like luminol off C.S.I ... Plus it may be just too fishy for the assailant.

[sometimesinsweden]

Anyone have any insight into why pepper spray is illegal in Sweden? What is the rationale behind this?

Because it can kill people who have heart/lung conditions and 95% of the time is used wrongly by hysterical people - postmen, delivery drivers, meter readers, friendly samaritans returning dropped bus passes, night-time dog walkers have all been sprayed.

[Puffin]

Keep a tin of Surströmming in your bag.

That would definitely clear out the entire neighbourhood - but beware of accidents at work

[byke]

"don't make me open up a can of ström on your ass"