Dealing With Pepper Spray.

[Organic Revolution]

Well, while I was at a protest last week, I got pepper sprayed, and it burned like a mother fucker, and the medics came and saved my ass, and cleaned my eyes out. After my eyes got cleaned out, I started to ask them what the solution was, and its simple!

50% water
50% liquid malox!

[Red October]

what is malox and where can i get it?

[Comrade Rage]

Originally posted by Red [email protected] 14, 2007 07:05 pm
what is malox and where can i get it?
It's actually spelled Maalox. It's an over the counter anti-indegestion medicine available at Walgreen's, CVS, Osco, or any other pharmacy for that matter.

[Everyday Anarchy]

If someone has been sprayed in the eyes and mouth, you can flush out her eyes with water. A bottle with a squirt cap is ideal, but a spray bottle will work. Always irrigate from the inside corner of the eye toward the outside, with her head tilted back and slightly toward the side being rinsed. The flush needs to get into her eye to help, so if the sprayed person is comfortable with it, you should try to open her eye for her. She most likely won’t be able to open it herself, and opening her eye will cause her a temporary increase in pain, but it does help. This will work to rinse her mouth, too. During cold weather, do your best to keep yourself and the victim dry.

Affected skin can also be cleaned with water. Some trained medics use mineral oil followed immediately by alcohol, but others insist this is too dangerous a treatment. To do this, thoroughly wet a pad or similar material with mineral oil or, in a pinch, vegetable oil. Carefully avoiding the eyes, rub the exposed skin with mineral oil. Quickly wet another pad with rubbing alcohol, and vigorously rub off the mineral oil. This procedure must be completed in its entirety with each victim so treated—leftover mineral oil can trap any remaining chemicals on the skin.

Taken from http://unconventionalaction.org/resources/medics.html. Plenty more information about preventing and treating different chemical weapons.



Well, while I was at a protest last week, I got pepper sprayed, and it burned like a mother fucker, and the medics came and saved my ass, and cleaned my eyes out.Just curious, were you in Olympia?

[Organic Revolution]

If someone has been sprayed in the eyes and mouth, you can flush out her eyes with water. A bottle with a squirt cap is ideal, but a spray bottle will work. Always irrigate from the inside corner of the eye toward the outside, with her head tilted back and slightly toward the side being rinsed. The flush needs to get into her eye to help, so if the sprayed person is comfortable with it, you should try to open her eye for her. She most likely won’t be able to open it herself, and opening her eye will cause her a temporary increase in pain, but it does help. This will work to rinse her mouth, too. During cold weather, do your best to keep yourself and the victim dry.

Affected skin can also be cleaned with water. Some trained medics use mineral oil followed immediately by alcohol, but others insist this is too dangerous a treatment. To do this, thoroughly wet a pad or similar material with mineral oil or, in a pinch, vegetable oil. Carefully avoiding the eyes, rub the exposed skin with mineral oil. Quickly wet another pad with rubbing alcohol, and vigorously rub off the mineral oil. This procedure must be completed in its entirety with each victim so treated—leftover mineral oil can trap any remaining chemicals on the skin.

Taken from http://unconventionalaction.org/resources/medics.html. Plenty more information about preventing and treating different chemical weapons.

Water actually doesnt work as well as the Maalox mix, the Portland medics tested it many a time.



Well, while I was at a protest last week, I got pepper sprayed, and it burned like a mother fucker, and the medics came and saved my ass, and cleaned my eyes out.Just curious, were you in Olympia?

Yep! Were you?


It's actually spelled Maalox. It's an over the counter anti-indegestion medicine available at Walgreen's, CVS, Osco, or any other pharmacy for that matter.

Sorry about that, I posted in a hurry.

[Everyday Anarchy]

Originally posted by Organic [email protected] 14, 2007 06:30 pm

Just curious, were you in Olympia?Yep! Were you?
No, I wish. I read about it and saw some videos on InfoShop and The Olympian newspaper. Congratulations! Seeing everyone throw dumpsters and other things in the road to block the riot police's trucks was amazing. Stay strong!

[Red October]

i heard about it from my brother who was there. it sounded great! hopefully when i go to visit him i'll be able to attend one.

[An archist]

Originally posted by Everyday Anarchy+November 15, 2007 12:40 am--> (Everyday Anarchy @ November 15, 2007 12:40 am)
Organic [email protected] 14, 2007 06:30 pm

Just curious, were you in Olympia?Yep! Were you?
No, I wish. I read about it and saw some videos on InfoShop and The Olympian newspaper. Congratulations! Seeing everyone throw dumpsters and other things in the road to block the riot police's trucks was amazing. Stay strong! [/b]
your cops really like violence don't they?

If you don't have a special product like OR suggests and only water, make sure you pour the water near the nose, so it runs to the side of the person's face instead of to the center (otherwise you get pepperspray in you tear holes and it'l run in your nose.
Whatever you do, don't rub it

[Organic Revolution]

Originally posted by An archist+November 15, 2007 02:40 am--> (An archist @ November 15, 2007 02:40 am)
Originally posted by Everyday [email protected] 15, 2007 12:40 am

Organic [email protected] 14, 2007 06:30 pm

Just curious, were you in Olympia?Yep! Were you?
No, I wish. I read about it and saw some videos on InfoShop and The Olympian newspaper. Congratulations! Seeing everyone throw dumpsters and other things in the road to block the riot police's trucks was amazing. Stay strong!
your cops really like violence don't they?

If you don't have a special product like OR suggests and only water, make sure you pour the water near the nose, so it runs to the side of the person's face instead of to the center (otherwise you get pepperspray in you tear holes and it'l run in your nose.
Whatever you do, don't rub it [/b]
Any protest should have medics with this solution on them at ALL times.

[Everyday Anarchy]

Originally posted by Wikipedia
Though there is no way of completely neutralizing pepper spray, its effect can be minimized or stopped. As veteran chili eaters know, capsaicin is not soluble in water, and even large volumes of water will have little to no effect. It is, however, soluble in fats and oils, so milk or detergents can be used to blunt its effects and wash it off. North American street medics use a non-toxic eyedrop solution of 1:1 water and aluminum hydroxide (Maalox) which helps neutralize pepper spray and relieve symptoms.

Victims should be encouraged to blink vigorously in order to encourage tears, which will help flush the irritant from the eyes. Some of the oil can be washed off the face using a degreasing, non-oily soap such as a mild dish detergent or baby shampoo, and a fan will provide some relief. To avoid rubbing the spray into the skin (thereby prolonging the burning sensation), victims should try to avoid touching affected areas.

Some "triple-action" pepper sprays also contain "tear gas" (CS gas), which can be neutralized with sodium metabisulfite (Campden tablets, used in homebrewing), though it, too, is fat-soluble and could be washed off to a degree with milk, and some contain a UV "blanketing" dye (little can be done against this, but its effects are not nearly as dramatic).

[The Douche]

Anybody going to a protest should carry a bottle of this. A thing of maalox costs under $5, get one and you can make three or four bottles so you and your friends have one, that way you can help yourself and others. Because there are never enough medics.

Water will not help that much. It will get it off your skin, but it will still be in your pores and that shit will be cooking off like crazy.

I've been hit by the police like 3 times, everytime I used maalox/water and the pain went away in seconds.

I'm in the army and we had to get hit by it for training and we only had water and soap, and it still hurt after two days.

[crimsonzephyr]

i looked up that maalox stuff and all i could find where flavored varients

are you supposed to use the flavored kinds, or are there unflavored (plain) kinds?

[Everyday Anarchy]

I would imagine you are to use Maalox Regular Liquid.
http://www.maaloxus.com/index.shtml?regularLiquid

[R_P_A_S]

i got pepper sprayed in vancouver last year. and wearing contact lenses helps!

[Everyday Anarchy]

Originally posted by [email protected] 21, 2007 09:27 pm
i got pepper sprayed in vancouver last year. and wearing contact lenses helps!
If that shit gets under your lenses then you're fucked. They're going to seal down to your eyeball trapping pepper spray underneath. If you're wearing contact lenses when you get sprayed, make sure you tell whoever is treating you that you have them in.

[bcbm]

Originally posted by [email protected] 21, 2007 09:27 pm
i got pepper sprayed in vancouver last year. and wearing contact lenses helps!
This is absolutely NOT true. DO NOT, under any circumstances, wear contact lenses to a protest where there is the slightest possibility you could get pepper sprayed.

[The Douche]

Like everybody said. Those contacts will trap particles against your eye and potentially scratch your cornea. bad news bears...

[R_P_A_S]

it helped. yes but im not saying is 100 proof. it still sucked. and i had to take them out eventually. but the initial sting is not as bad.

[bcbm]

Originally posted by [email protected] 22, 2007 12:05 am
it helped. yes but im not saying is 100 proof. it still sucked. and i had to take them out eventually. but the initial sting is not as bad.
No, really. Having contact lenses in and getting pepper sprayed can permanently damage your eyes. It is an absolutely stupid idea.

[The Douche]

Seriously bro, you got lucky, very lucky. You shouldn't give people that info as advice.

[R_P_A_S]

damn. so is that why i can't see?
i guess i did get lucky

[Organic Revolution]

Originally posted by [email protected] 22, 2007 12:05 am
it helped. yes but im not saying is 100 proof. it still sucked. and i had to take them out eventually. but the initial sting is not as bad.
Sounds like bullshit to me. If you are going to lie about things, dont lie about shit that could get other people seriously fucking injured.

[crimsonzephyr]

Originally posted by Organic Revolution+November 23, 2007 08:34 am--> (Organic Revolution @ November 23, 2007 08:34 am)
[email protected] 22, 2007 12:05 am
it helped. yes but im not saying is 100 proof. it still sucked. and i had to take them out eventually. but the initial sting is not as bad.
Sounds like bullshit to me. If you are going to lie about things, dont lie about shit that could get other people seriously fucking injured. [/b]
but he didnt know it could hurt other people seriously

[redcannon]

god, i've never been pepper sprayed, and I guess I should be greatful for that. If I get to any protests (and I do try my hardest, although it's pretty dead in Orange County as far as I know) I'm taking that concoction.

[Axel1917]

I never had any idea that there was such a remedy to pepper spray, nor that such a remedy was so easy to make. I have never been sprayed before, but you never know what will happen in the future, particularly at the RNC coming to Minneapolis in 2008.

[black magick hustla]

Originally posted by black coffee black metal+November 22, 2007 06:15 am--> (black coffee black metal @ November 22, 2007 06:15 am)
[email protected] 22, 2007 12:05 am
it helped. yes but im not saying is 100 proof. it still sucked. and i had to take them out eventually. but the initial sting is not as bad.
No, really. Having contact lenses in and getting pepper sprayed can permanently damage your eyes. It is an absolutely stupid idea. [/b]
what if you are blind as a bat like me and your normal glasses are one inch thick

[Dr.Pepper]

I've been hit in the face with pepper spray more than a few times; it gets much easier to deal with as time goes on.

[The Douche]

Originally posted by [email protected] 27, 2007 08:52 am
I've been hit in the face with pepper spray more than a few times; it gets much easier to deal with as time goes on.
Ha. Speak for yourself, having been sprayed upwards of like, 5 times, I would rather be raped by a moose than have it happen again. But I'm sure it will eventually. And it hurts like a ***** every time for me.

[AGITprop]

Originally posted by [email protected] 27, 2007 08:52 am
I've been hit in the face with pepper spray more than a few times; it gets much easier to deal with as time goes on.
good advice....

ive never been sprayed but im sure it must fucking burn. im not planning on letting any pigs spray me either so i dont think i have much to worry about. ive ben to three protests in the last month and theyve all een peacful. going to another one on sunday for free education. hopefully ther wil be some action, but cops in montreal arent too bad. i have no experiencewith other cops other than the time my friend got a ticket by OPP for drinking in private property. sory of topic...

um so yes..
that water and maalox solution sems pretty good. ill make sure to try t if i ever get sprayed

[Mara_Suomessa]

Never been pepper sprayed, but the I have been tear gassed... definetly not fun. It's like every orifice on your face just starts leaking uncontrollable and burning. The medics tried using the Maalox-water mix, but it didn't do anything. What did work though was citrus juice; a few people had lemons and that cleared things right up. I also had a grapefruit on me, and ended up tearing chunks off that and giving it to people to put in their eyes. Now whenever I go to a protest/rally/march I always bring a bottle of lemon juice.

[F9]

the only solution for not pain from spray is NOT get sprayed:)!pepper spray down here isnt use so much and i have no problem with that pepper spray hurts a lot!so the best way:avoid it!:star:

[INDK]

All I know is citrus works for tear gas, and I think they generate the same extreme burning sensation. Lemon would probably be best because it comes in bottles.

[A-S M.]

over here they prefer beating the shit out of us instead of using pepper spray... :-/

[INDK]

In most of the police confrontations I've been in contact with the cops like to keep a distance and use all sorts of gases and stuff

[Mara_Suomessa]

In most of the police confrontations I've been in contact with the cops like to keep a distance and use all sorts of gases and stuff

Have you seen that powdered stuff they've been using lately? Instead of the tear-gas canisters exploding on the ground and releasing gas, these things blow in mid-air and cover everyone with powder. The brutal part is that even after you clean out your eyes, if you start to sweat you're back at square one.

Probably the worst part is how long it stays in the area it was deployed. A couple comrades and I drove through an area where a canister had been let off four hours before, and we still got teary eyed.

[#FF0000]

I have a hard time believing that lemon juice thing. Anyone want to explain how that works?

Also, I imagine that anything basic with water would help with pepper spray. If you can't get Maalox, Whole Milk could be used as a substitute. Whole milk might actually work even better. I believe the stuff they make pepper spray out of is fat-soluble, and whole milk is loaded with fat.

You're pretty much out of luck if you're vegan, though. I don't know if soy-milk has as much fat as whole cow milk.

[Mara_Suomessa]

I have a hard time believing that lemon juice thing. Anyone want to explain how that works?

You may have trouble believing it, but I'm telling you, first hand, it works. My guess would be that whatever is in tear-gas is extremely basic (attacks organic compounds, aka your eyes) and that the Lemon juice counteracts the effects of the base.

[RNK]

It's not just lemon juice but apparently any citrus-based liquid (ie grapefruit) will also work. Like Mara said it probably has to do with chemical counteraction.

Anyway, I've found the best way (so far) to dealing with pepper spray is weaing sky goggles. This works excellently against the powder as the powder has a much harder time getting into the gaps than the liquid form. A friend of mine was at a demo once, and said that when the pepper spray hit, he could barely see, but another friend of his with some common ski goggles was completely unaffected (except of course for the breathing problems but these are not that severe).

[ComradeRed]

If it's in the eyes, you have to flush it out with water.

I hear there's some method applying mineral oil onto the pepper spray IF IT'S NOT IN THE EYES, then scraping it off, then applying rubbing alcohol that works.

IF IT'S IN THE EYES, YOU CAN ONLY FLUSH IT OUT WITH WATER!

Ahem, that is all...