OK, there is a HUGE difference between the 2%, over the counter stuff and the 10%, or even 5.5% issued to law enforcement. The other comment about food seasoning is right... by comparison. Getting a dose of 2% is certainly not pleasant, but neither is it incapacitating. Even with the max 10%, I've seen a number of people just keep on fighting. A few don't even show any effects. In fact, in training, our officers are encouraged to continue fighting after getting sprayed, and most do with suprising effectiveness. The reason for this is that during an attempt to bring someone under control, a lot of times cops get caught by overspray. They need to learn that if they do get hit, they CAN successfully continue to fight. It is a good non-lethal defense, but you should never rely on it too heavily. It ain't perfect. As to obtaining the good stuff, well.... lets just say that it's GENERALLY not available to the public. If you look around, it's not all that hard to find. Some suppliers want ID or the order on a dept. letterhead. Others just say "sold to LE only", but don't ask any questions. It also varies from state to state. Bottom line: If you have the 2% OC, put it on the shelf next to the salt & pepper, and do a search for LE issue OC.