Allow public to carry pepper mace, CS spray?

[Von Boy]

Its a funny thing that in the UK you are not allowed to carry any form of defence item... In France, Poland, Germany, Italy, Spain etc. as examples, you can legally carry CS spray, small amounts, for self defence...

Remember that young French girl murdered in Kent many years a go... she handed over to her father her CS spray before boarding the boat to Dover...

Is it time that the British public should be able to carry a form of defence spray???

[Essex Lad]

No.

[cockneygeezer2009]

Pepper mace and CS spray can be used to attack people.
The pro gun lobby use the same argument for guns.

[Gentleman]

You could licence it only enabling those without a criminal record to carry it, anyway scumbags already carry and use it.

[Von Boy]

You're spot on Gentleman.... the "baddies" are already carrying items like I mention... and as it takes on average 10 minutes plus for a police officer to respond to a call means in the UK we're hanging in the wind!!!

[Sam Slater]

I considered getting some when out running as I was pissed off at idiot dog owners who let their dogs roam free on the paths where I used to run. Had some near misses and thought it was only a matter of time before I got bit.

I decided against it, not just because I'd have been breaking the law, but because it's unhealthy. Once I relied on having pepper spray with me, I'd only ever feel safe carrying pepper spray. Maybe I should start taking it out with me on nights out too? It's easy to create a big bad world out there where every youth is out to cosh you over the head for your phone; every drunkard is going to glass you; every dog is going to rip your nads off. You can't enjoy life thinking like that. If little old ladies at 4'9" can walk the streets right up to being 87, without pepper spray, so can you and I.