Petition Asks for Changes to New York Pepper Spray Laws

Felony assaults have risen 5.5% from 2023 to 2024 in New York City, with hate crimes increasing by a whopping 56%.  With felony assaults on the rise, pepper spray is an effective defense, but in New York, carrying pepper spray is restricted. One company is working to change the laws around pepper spray to make it more accessible.

Current regulations from 1997 restrict the strength of pepper spray and ban home delivery, leaving many to seek unsafe alternatives. Additionally, the prohibition of UV dye, which aids in identifying attackers, has limited the effectiveness of self-defense tools. Some sellers take advantage of high demand, charging triple the normal rate. A petition now calls on state lawmakers to allow home delivery, stronger sprays, and UV dye for enhanced safety.

The petition was started by a women-owned self-defense company named Safely, which creates and sells pepper sprays. Here are the key changes the petition is asking for:

• Allow home delivery of pepper spray to prevent price gouging.
• Increase capsaicin content to match federal standards.
• Legalize UV dye in sprays to help identify attackers.

"We started a petition to change the New York pepper spray laws...because people buy it [pepper spray] on the subway right now from an untrusted source, and that's not ideal," Ashley Raymond
co-founder and CEO of Safely told SafeWise. "Or they go to the gun store, and people don't want to go to the gun store to get a pepper spray or a pharmacy—they just have it sent to their door and it's half the strength, and you can't have UV dye in it, so it's like what's going on? It's strange. We want to tell everybody and share the petition, because it could make a change."

While pepper spray can help keep you safe from attackers, you can accidentally harm yourself if you don't know how to use it properly. Here are some tips:

1. Familiarize yourself: Practice using your pepper spray in a safe area so you're comfortable with it in an emergency.
2. Check the wind: Use caution when spraying outdoors to avoid it blowing back in your direction.
3. Aim carefully: Target the attacker’s face, specifically their eyes and nose, for maximum effect.
4. Maintain distance: Stand 6-10 feet away if possible.

Stay aware of local laws and always use pepper spray responsibly.

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