Is It Legal to Use Pepper Spray in Mexico?

Mexico. Land of endless beaches, vibrant culture, and of course, a penal code that seems to have been drafted by people who watched too many episodes of a 1950s crime drama. Yes, my dear readers, we’re talking about the hot-button issue of the moment—pepper spray. Now, I can already hear the groans of confusion and the sighs of disbelief as you try to wrap your head around the fact that in a country where crime rates are high enough to make a Grand Theft Auto map seem quaint, pepper spray is illegal.

Let’s dive right into the meat of it. The recent rise in violence against women has, unsurprisingly, made women across Mexico increasingly eager to arm themselves with something—anything—that could help ward off a potential attacker. The solution, it would seem, is a harmless little canister of spicy goodness—pepper spray. A burst of that in the eyes of a mugger or would-be kidnapper, and voilà, instant incapacitation, giving you just enough time to make a hasty escape.

But, alas, not so fast. You see, while this might seem like the perfect, reasonable, common-sense solution to an all-too-common problem, the law in Mexico City and the State of Mexico seems to have other ideas.

Now, don't get me wrong, Mexico isn't exactly new to the idea of people using objects to defend themselves. But the trouble is, according to the Penal Code of Mexico City—particularly Article 225—pepper spray, along with toys that resemble firearms or anything that could be thrown through gas or compressed air, is classified under what they charmingly call "moral violence."

Now, what on Earth does that even mean? Moral violence? What does this even refer to? A canister of pepper spray doesn’t lecture you on your ethics or remind you of that time you didn’t call your mother on her birthday. It's just there, nestled innocently in your handbag, waiting for a villainous chap to show up so it can do its job. But no—according to the code, the mere act of carrying it is equivalent to engaging in “moral violence.” You know, as if someone walking up to you with a knife doesn't already have the moral high ground.

And it doesn’t stop there. Oh no, they’ve thought of everything. Article 251 takes it one step further. Not only is pepper spray frowned upon, but if you’re caught carrying, manufacturing, or even importing one of these things “without a lawful purpose,” you're looking at a sentence of three months to three years in prison. Three years! Yes, folks, you can serve time for carrying a can of pepper spray, while the fellow who just tried to make off with your handbag probably gets a slap on the wrist and a polite request to stop doing that, please.

It’s all rather baffling, isn't it? The law claims it’s there to protect public order, yet the very people it’s supposed to protect—women, vulnerable as they are to rising levels of violence and harassment—are left with nothing but their wits and a set of keys clutched between their fingers in a pathetic makeshift weaponry effort. It's as though someone in government thought, "How can we make life just a little bit harder for people who already have to watch their back 24/7? I know! Let’s make pepper spray illegal!"

And to add insult to injury, social media has now become a sort of underground marketplace for DIY pepper spray recipes. Yes, that’s right. Women who are fed up with being scared to walk down the street are resorting to concocting their own pepper spray at home. You know it's bad when people are sharing kitchen-table chemistry tips like they're baking cookies. What’s next? Are we going to start seeing Instagram tutorials on how to wield a frying pan in self-defense? Don’t laugh, it could happen.

So where does this leave the everyday woman, trying to navigate a city that’s becoming increasingly unsafe? Well, it’s left them in a precarious position, that’s for sure. On one hand, you’ve got the ever-present danger of a physical attack. On the other, you’ve got the legal equivalent of a brick wall that says, “Sorry, no self-defense allowed here.” The choices are limited, to say the least.

Now, I know what some of you are thinking. Maybe pepper spray just isn't the right answer. Maybe there’s some other magical device that would do the trick and still be legal. Perhaps, but as of now, no one’s come up with anything better. And in a country where crime isn't exactly taking a holiday, shouldn’t we at least allow people the option to defend themselves?

The logic here, if there is any, seems to suggest that making pepper spray illegal is somehow going to reduce crime. But here's a little reality check: the bad guys are already ignoring the law. Do we really expect that they’re going to suddenly play nice because the legal code says they should? Not a chance. All this does is take away an easy-to-use tool from law-abiding citizens, leaving them even more vulnerable.

The truth is, people are going to continue using pepper spray, regardless of the law. They’ll find ways to get it—legally or otherwise—because survival trumps legality every time. And that’s the sad reality: when the system doesn’t protect you, you’re left to protect yourself, law be damned.

So here we are, with women being forced to choose between their safety and a nonsensical law that does more harm than good. Is it time for a rethink? Absolutely. Will it happen anytime soon? Well, I wouldn't hold my breath. In the meantime, I suggest we all prepare for a boom in the homemade pepper spray market and perhaps brush up on those frying pan techniques. Because in a world where common sense seems to have taken a vacation, it’s every person for themselves.