| Concern for one's own safety or the safety of his | | | | Parents need to understand the personality and the |
| loved ones should be a priority. With crime rates | | | | needs of their child before they are permitted to carry |
| escalating to new highs, and with more low-income | | | | defense pepper spray. If parents of a 16-year-old girl |
| families moving into your neighborhood that once | | | | feel that their daughter is mature enough to go on a |
| catered to the middle or upper class, one must be on | | | | blind date with a stranger, she's probably mature |
| guard in defense of himself or family members. | | | | enough to carry defense pepper spray. However, she |
| At what age should a person be allowed to carry a | | | | must be taught how and when to use it. |
| personal defense item such as pepper spray? Before | | | | If parents have a wild, uncontrollable, 16-year-old child |
| a child is allowed to carry pepper spray for his/her | | | | who is more likely to show off his new "toy" to his |
| own protection, parents must take into account | | | | school buddies, use it as a joke, or use it to commit an |
| several considerations: | | | | assault on somebody else, then perhaps their child is |
| - maturity of your son/daughter, | | | | not mature enough to keep pepper spray. |
| - environment that your son/daughter is mostly going | | | | The key question for parents is whether or not the |
| to be in, | | | | child needs the pepper spray and whether or not they |
| - personality and needs of the child, | | | | have the maturity to respect and use it only for self |
| - local laws regarding a juvenile's use of pepper spray. | | | | defense purposes. |
| First you must consider the maturity of your son or | | | | A final consideration for parents is the local and state |
| daughter. A juvenile, or minor, must be able to | | | | laws on your area. Always check the local laws in |
| understand that pepper spray is to be used for self | | | | your home area before you buy defense pepper |
| defense only. They are not toys or something to show | | | | spray for your children. Some states require that they |
| off at school to their buddies. They are not to be used | | | | must be 18 years of age or older to buy or possess |
| for horseplay or practical jokes. | | | | pepper spray. Some states require that they must |
| Second, you must consider the environment that your | | | | have a license to carry pepper spray. Many states |
| child is in. If they live, work, or attend school in an at-risk | | | | require that you do not have any felony conviction or |
| area where their safety is a concern, that factor | | | | a misdemeanor conviction of moral turpitude. |
| should be taken into consideration. | | | | |