Pepper balls are non-lethal weapons used by law enforcement to subdue attackers or suspects. They contain PAVA, a concentrated extract of capsaicin, and can saturate a 200ft diameter. They are launched from devices resembling paintball guns and can cause severe irritation. They are used in situations where physical contact is dangerous but firearms are not necessary. Allergic reactions can occur, requiring immediate medical attention.
Often called a pepper spray pellet or pepper spray bullet, pepper balls are powerful but non-lethal weapons that contain powdered chemicals designed to help subdue an attacker. Used in many law enforcement agencies, they can also be used as a means to take down a suspect who is fleeing a crime scene or to intervene in some sort of situation where violence is involved.
A launching device that bears a strong resemblance to paintball guns dispenses pepper balls. Generally, launchers are accurate to a range of up to sixty linear feet. The pepper spray ball will break apart on contact with any surface and begin to spread chemicals that can cause severe eye and nose irritation. The main ingredient in pepper spray pellets is known as PAVA. Essentially a concentrated extract of the heat-giving capsaicin in cayenne peppers, PAVA is strong enough to immobilize virtually anyone of any physical size. When a ball of pepper spray breaks, it can saturate a two hundred foot diameter.
Unlike the small vials of pepper spray that many people carry for personal safety, an individual does not have to come into direct contact with pepper spray pellets to be exposed to the effects. The rate of saturation is rapid and complete, with the burning sensation starting immediately. This makes the use of pepper balls ideal when there is an obvious danger of attempting to subdue an individual through physical contact, but the situation is not serious enough to warrant the use of firearms.
Pepper spray pellets are used in virtually any situation where there is a need to provide some sort of protection or capture a suspect. Law enforcement can use pepper balls to stop fleeing suspects, flush out suspects hiding in a building or behind a barrier, or to disperse riots. Bounty hunters may choose to employ these weapons in situations where there is an obvious standoff when attempting to catch a bail jumper. The military also tends to use pepper balls as part of warfare training programs.
While pepper balls generally don’t cause any sort of permanent damage, people who have allergies to cayenne pepper or other chili peppers can experience severe physical reactions if they come within range of an unfurled pepper ball. In situations of this nature, it is important to get the person to an emergency room or other medical facility immediately.
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