Petition Create an exemption from section 5 of the firearms act to allow possesion of pepper spray for self defence.

I would like the Home Office to create an exemption from section 5 of the firearms act to allow possesion of a pepper spray for self defence.

Peppersprays are unlikely to kill, the few instances of death associated with them around the world have all been attributed to underlying medical conditions.

In the event of violent assault in the home or on the street people anywhere near will seek to evacuate the area if pepperspray was deployed. PEPPER SPRAY WOULD SAVE LIVES. It would facilitate flight which has to be seen as better than confrontation.

I seek exemption rather than remove them from the act. This would maintain that misuse would still be a crime.

Currently offenders caught with sprays suffer token punishment, a suspended sentence and a fine being typical. This firearms offence has the effect of destroying careers and job prospects for something the courts seem to accept as a trivial crime.