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pepper spray: for sale or not?

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The wife asked me where someone she knows might be able to buy pepper spray. I named I think 3 local gun shops, and also said maybe Dick's or Walmart, but not sure if they have this just yet, especially Walmart.

Anyhow, this person went to a local gun shop, and they refused to sell to them, because they said it is still a "grey area". The individual went to another shop nearby, and got the spray.

Have other people run into this? I asked GOAL, and they said it is not grey at all. I asked if GOAL or someone else notifies shops and police departments. They said they don't, but they have posted something about it and might again in today's "Friday News". They also said the NSSF might be a good conduit for this information to get to shops. I would think their distributors would start trying to sell more to the shops, and they would get the picture.

Again, was this an isolated thing, or are others around the state seeing this also?

Thanks.
 
I dunno about your question, but LGS's are generally terrible when it comes to knowledge of the law. What shop refused her?
 
Like I said, the person got it from another shop nearby. Also, FYI: GOAL has pepper spray on sale in the office.
 
I know that Dicks in Danvers has it and readily sells it to anyone now. Last time I was in there they had to dig it out of the back because they didn't have a display set up yet, though.
 
The shop owner said there was no way of knowing if they were somehow prohibited.

Now I am wondering what prohibitions there are on owning pepper spray.
 
I don't really blame them. The effective date for that section of the new law was amended at some point and as far as I can tell the new law hasn't been published yet (at least not online.) If you do a search on malegislature.gov the old law still comes up.


The shop owner said there was no way of knowing if they were somehow prohibited.

Now I am wondering what prohibitions there are on owning pepper spray.

That's covered in the apparently yet to be published new section 122D.

From the bill:
Section 122D. No person shall purchase or possess self-defense spray who:

(i) in a court of the commonwealth, has been convicted or adjudicated a youthful offender or delinquent child as defined in section 52 of chapter 119 for the commission of: (A) a felony; (B) a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for more than 2 years; (C) a violent crime as defined in section 121; (D) a violation of a law regulating the use, possession, ownership, transfer, purchase, sale, lease, rental, receipt or transportation of weapons or ammunition for which a term of imprisonment may be imposed; or (E) a violation of a law regulating the use, possession or sale of a controlled substance as defined in section 1 of chapter 94C including, but not limited to, a violation under said chapter 94C; provided, however, that except for the commission of a violent crime or a crime involving the trafficking of controlled substances, if the person has been so convicted or adjudicated or released from confinement, probation or parole supervision for such conviction or adjudication, whichever occurs last, for 5 or more years immediately preceding the purchase or possession, that person may purchase or possess self-defense spray;

(ii) in another state or federal jurisdiction, has been convicted or adjudicated a youthful offender or delinquent child for the commission of: (A) a felony; (B) a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for more than 2 years; (C) a violent crime as defined in section 121; (D) a violation of a law regulating the use, possession, ownership, transfer, purchase, sale, lease, rental, receipt or transportation of weapons or ammunition for which a term of imprisonment may be imposed; or (E) a violation of a law regulating the use, possession or sale of a controlled substance as defined in section 1 of chapter 94C; provided, however, that, except for the commission of a violent crime or a crime involving the trafficking of weapons or controlled substances, if the person has been so convicted or adjudicated or released from confinement, probation or parole supervision for such conviction or adjudication, whichever occurs last, for 5 or more years immediately preceding the purchase or possession and that applicant's right or ability to possess a rifle or shotgun has been fully restored in the jurisdiction wherein the subject conviction or adjudication was entered, then that person may purchase or possess self-defense spray;

(iii) has been committed to any hospital or institution for mental illness unless the person obtains, prior to purchase or possession, an affidavit of a licensed physician or clinical psychologist attesting that such physician or psychologist is familiar with the applicant's mental illness and that in the physician's or psychologist’s opinion the applicant is not disabled by such an illness in a manner that shall prevent the applicant from possessing self-defense spray;

(iv) is or has been in recovery from or committed based upon a finding that the person is a person with an alcohol use disorder or a substance use disorder or both unless a licensed physician or clinical psychologist deems such person to be in recovery from such condition, in which case, such person may purchase or possess self-defense spray after 5 years from the date of such confinement or recovery; provided, however, that prior to such purchase or possession of self-defense spray, the applicant shall submit an affidavit issued by a licensed physician or clinical psychologist attesting that such physician or psychologist knows the person’s history of treatment and that in that physician's or psychologist’s opinion the applicant is in recovery;

(v) at the time of the application, is younger than 15 years of age;

(vi) at the time of the application, is at least 15 years of age but less than 18 years of age unless the applicant submits with the application a certificate from the applicant’s parent or guardian granting the applicant permission to apply for a card;

(vii) is an alien who does not maintain lawful permanent residency or is an alien not residing under a visa pursuant to 8 U.S.C § 1101(a)(15)(U), or is an alien not residing under a visa pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1154(a)(1)(B)(ii)(I) or is an alien not residing under a visa pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(15)(T)(i)(I)-(IV);

(viii) is currently subject to: (1) an order for suspension or surrender issued pursuant to section 3B or 3C of chapter 209A or section 7 of chapter 258E; or (2) a permanent or temporary protection order issued pursuant to chapter 209A or section 7 of chapter 258E; or

(ix) is currently the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant in any state or federal jurisdiction.

Whoever purchases or possesses self-defense spray in violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than 2 years or both such fine and imprisonment.

And yeah, I have no idea how a dealer would be able to verify whether or not someone was prohibited from possessing pepper spray. Legally I'm not sure that the have to as long as they verify age.

Also from the bill:
Section 122C. (a) As used in this section and section 122D, “self-defense spray” shall mean chemical mace, pepper spray or any device or instrument which contains, propels or emits a liquid, gas, powder or other substance designed to incapacitate.

(b) Whoever, not being licensed as provided in section 122B, sells self-defense spray shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than 2 years.

(c) Whoever sells self-defense spray to a person younger than 18 years of age, if the person younger than 18 years of age does not have a firearms identification card, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $300.

(d) A person under 18 years of age who possesses self-defense spray and who does not have a firearms identification card shall be punished by a fine of not more than $300.
 
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I've also been looking for an affirmation that this part of the new regs is now in effect. (Or Jan 1, 2015?)
 
The dealer has a point. How does he know he's not selling to an ex-con, rapist, wife beater, that was convicted of selling dope? Where does the onus fall, on the buyer or the seller? Seems to me that the buyer is responsible here to observe the lawful purchase.
 
The dealer has a point. How does he know he's not selling to an ex-con, rapist, wife beater, that was convicted of selling dope? Where does the onus fall, on the buyer or the seller? Seems to me that the buyer is responsible here to observe the lawful purchase.

Is this a serious post...?
 
The shop owner said there was no way of knowing if they were somehow prohibited.

Now I am wondering what prohibitions there are on owning pepper spray.

Your LGS is run by a moron or a coward.

EVERY gun shop in this state got a letter from the state that in no uncertain terms declared the sale of pepper spray to be legal. I saw the letter myself at On Target Firearms in Dracut.

Your LGS proprietor may be afraid of selling to someone who is a PP, and if that's the case then he/she should consult with an attorney.
 
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The dealer has a point. How does he know he's not selling to an ex-con, rapist, wife beater, that was convicted of selling dope? Where does the onus fall, on the buyer or the seller? Seems to me that the buyer is responsible here to observe the lawful purchase.

Based on 122C it appears to fall on the buyer / possessor.
 
The dealer has a point. How does he know he's not selling to an ex-con, rapist, wife beater, that was convicted of selling dope? Where does the onus fall, on the buyer or the seller? Seems to me that the buyer is responsible here to observe the lawful purchase.


As Dewey Crow would say " the anus is on you"
 
I don't really blame them. ... And yeah, I have no idea how a dealer would be able to verify whether or not someone was prohibited from possessing pepper spray. Legally I'm not sure that the have to as long as they verify age.

The dealer has a point. How does he know he's not selling to an ex-con, rapist, wife beater, that was convicted of selling dope? Where does the onus fall, on the buyer or the seller? Seems to me that the buyer is responsible here to observe the lawful purchase.

I was kind of wondering about this.


Your LGS is run by a moron or a coward. EVERY gun shop in this state got a letter from the state that in no uncertain terms declared the sale of pepper spray to be legal. I saw the letter myself at On Target Firearms in Dracut. Your LGS proprietor may be afraid of selling to someone who is a PP, and if that's the case then he/she should consult with an attorney.

What is PP? I always thought it was "Personal Protection", for gun licenses. "Protected Person"? That doesn't make sense.
 
Just tried ordering through amazon. Seller refused to ship it. Informed him of law change and included link to legislature and still refused.

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2014/Chapter284

Section 122 b (i think) states need for a license to sell pepper spray and he didn't like it.

Some of the sites that have shipped me ammo in the past actually refused to ship pepper spray which was weird.

I'm trying to avoid going to a LGS because I'm an impulsive shopper and would probably leave with more than pepper spray.

- Todd
 
During the first few days after the new law was passed the law did not give any excemption for dealers who sold pepper spray to a prohibited person. As someone posted earlier it was a gray area for us dealers and we even asked some local police officers how they would interpret the law about it and they agreed to wait until the second and updated mailout about the law came out. On the second it states clear as day that the fault falls upon the purchaser as the dealers could not possibly know who is or is not a PP. Until that second version came out we did continue to require permits to puchase simply to cover ourselves until the law was made clear. Now that it has we will sell to everyone with proof of age. We sell Sabre brand $13.99+tax.
 
When was that second mailing? The person I was referring to tried to purchase either Wednesday or Thursday of this week.
 
The shop owner said there was no way of knowing if they were somehow prohibited.

Now I am wondering what prohibitions there are on owning pepper spray.

Shop owners have no way to tell unless a LTC/FID is shown, even if not required. There are tons of reasons why someone would be a PP wrt OC. It is a terribly bad law as written.


I don't really blame them. The effective date for that section of the new law was amended at some point and as far as I can tell the new law hasn't been published yet (at least not online.) If you do a search on malegislature.gov the old law still comes up.

That's covered in the apparently yet to be published new section 122D.

From the bill:


And yeah, I have no idea how a dealer would be able to verify whether or not someone was prohibited from possessing pepper spray. Legally I'm not sure that the have to as long as they verify age.

Also from the bill:

Onus is ONLY on possessor not the dealer but most MA dealers are so afraid of their shadows that it won't surprise me that many will refuse sale to people w/o LTC/FID out of fear.


The dealer has a point. How does he know he's not selling to an ex-con, rapist, wife beater, that was convicted of selling dope? Where does the onus fall, on the buyer or the seller? Seems to me that the buyer is responsible here to observe the lawful purchase.

Your LGS is run by a moron or a coward.

EVERY gun shop in this state got a letter from the state that in no uncertain terms declared the sale of pepper spray to be legal. I saw the letter myself at On Target Firearms in Dracut.

Your LGS proprietor may be afraid of selling to someone who is a PP, and if that's the case then he/she should consult with an attorney.

Based on 122C it appears to fall on the buyer / possessor.

Yes, the letter from FRB should be a great help to the dealers. HOWEVER the author is NOT an attorney and although correct and well-meaning I still foresee some dealers refusing sales out of fear.

- - - Updated - - -

When was that second mailing? The person I was referring to tried to purchase either Wednesday or Thursday of this week.

Quite a while ago. However it is well established that many MA Dealers have a problem with reading and comprehending English. [rolleyes]
 
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