Pepper spray popular among students

German education and the police are dealing with pepper spray at schools with an increasing number of incidents.

The organization of teachers warns about the medical consequences. ' Children consider it a joke and do not see how dangerous pepper spray actually is. '' The use of the gas is increasing rapidly. This year more than thirty incidents with the spray were noted.

Pepper spray is readily available at drugstores in Germany. The law does state that its application is only allowed in emergency situations: for self-defense, for example. Abuse is a fine or even imprisonment.

The spray is composed of, among other things, cayenne pepper and chili powder. Inhalation can lead to breathlessness and in extreme cases to suffocation. Eyes can be temporarily blinded when they come into contact with the gas.