Brazil Takes Baby Step Toward Self-Defense

Rio De Janeiro allows women to carry pepper spray. Sort of. With pepper spray authorized for women's self-defense, Rio de Janeiro becomes the first state to authorize civilian use with controlled sales, a monthly limit, and free access for women with a protective order in effect

With pepper spray released Officially for women's self-defense, Governor Cláudio Castro signed a law that makes Rio de Janeiro the first Brazilian state to regulate the civilian use of the product. The measure creates specific rules for sales, maximum quantities, and free distribution in cases of violence, directly targeting the protection of women in vulnerable situations.

In practice, the text defines where the spray can be sold, to whom, in what quantity, and with what concentration limit. The proposal combines pepper spray released for civilian use with a package of strict controls., trying to balance the right to defense of women and the concern about the misuse of the product on the streets of the state.

The limits are about 2.5 fluid ounces of spray (depending on exactly how they are measuring), which is about 5 of containers I usually purchase. Purchasing 2 per month... I usually throw them away when they expire, rather than because they are empty.

Brazilians can't purchase the large "home defense" cans (not quite as large as a can of spray paint) because those are more than the 70 gram limit.

Also men can't purchase or own pepper spray, which some people are bent out of shape over.

This isn't all of Brazil, just the state or Rio De Janeiro, but you have to start somewhere.

I suppose this is a recognition of the reality that Brazil is not a safe place. (Hat tip to Keep and Bear Arms.)