| people become particularly concerned with their | | | | Some areas restrict the pepper spray canister size or |
| personal safety when they are planning a trip | | | | ingredients. |
| overseas. How do you keep yourself safe in an area | | | | When traveling by air, there are restrictions on |
| where you don't speak the local language or | | | | traveling with disabling chemicals or devices. There |
| understand the local customs? How can you make | | | | are specific rules stating that pepper spray cannot be |
| sure you won't be taken advantage of while | | | | carried on your person or in your carryon luggage |
| traveling? Many travelers consider pepper spray an | | | | while on the plane. However, your checked baggage |
| effective option for personal protection while away | | | | can include pepper spray canisters up to four ounces |
| from home. | | | | in size. Most pepper spray canisters designed to be |
| While this is a very popular method of self defense | | | | carried on a keychain or in a pocket or purse come in |
| here in the United States, you may worry that you'll | | | | under this limit, so this should not be a problem. |
| be stopped by airport security if you try to take | | | | However, larger canisters such as those designed for |
| your pepper spray with you onto the plane. Although | | | | home use tend to be too large to legally pack in your |
| your fears are certainly for good reason, as airline | | | | suitcase. |
| restrictions do place limitations on what you can bring | | | | When traveling with pepper spray, even with |
| on the plane with you, with proper planning you | | | | canisters under the 4 ounce limit, be sure to tell the |
| should be able to bring pepper spray to most | | | | airline that you have the canister when you check in |
| destinations. | | | | your luggage at the baggage counter. They are |
| In most areas of the United States, pepper spray is | | | | legally required to inspect the canister to make sure |
| legal to carry and use for personal protection. | | | | that there is a locking device. Otherwise, your pepper |
| However, transporting pepper spray over state lines | | | | spray could accidentally discharge while inside your |
| can be a little tricky if you are traveling by plane. This | | | | suitcase in the plane. Be sure to keep the pepper |
| can become even more difficult if you plan to travel | | | | spray canister in a convenient location before |
| out of the country with pepper spray, though it's | | | | checking your baggage so that you don't have to dig |
| certainly not impossible. | | | | through your suitcase at the counter. |
| Your first step is to find out the local laws regarding | | | | Do not try to conceal a canister of pepper spray in |
| pepper spray at your destination. There may be | | | | your purse or pocket. Even if it's small enough to do |
| specific limitations on the carrying of pepper spray in | | | | so, remember that you will need to pass through a |
| specific states or cities, or even into particular types | | | | metal detector prior to boarding the plane. Always |
| of locations. If you cannot legally carry pepper spray | | | | alert the airline if you have packed pepper spray into |
| at your destination, don't bother packing it. It's also | | | | your bag. If you try to get through security with |
| important to make sure that the pepper spray | | | | pepper spray in your luggage, it will probably be |
| canister you plan to bring meets all local regulations. | | | | confiscated. |