Which weapons are legal for self-defense?

Please note that we are NOT the original writers of this blog post. All credit goes to the original writers. Find the original post as published at this link: http://invictaselfdefense.blogspot.com/2013/07/which-weapons-are-legal-for-self-defense.html

A lot of women ask me my opinions on weapons in self love. 

“Should I take a switchblade?” “Should I take a knife?” “Is it lawful to have mace?” 

*The below answers are for Canadians, and there may also be differences province-to-province. Always check before you buy or carry a weapon. 

Firstly, and above all, many weapons which people think are legal to carry are, in actuality, prohibited:

• Mace/Pepper Spray –  Illegal – In Canada, any product with a label containing the words’pepper spray’,’mace’ etc. or are otherwise originally produced for use on individuals are classified as a prohibited weapon. Only law enforcement officers may lawfully carry or possess pepper spray.

• Dog Spray/Bear Spray – Illegal – these chemicals are regulated under the Pest Control Products Act. Although it is legal to be carried by anyone, it is against the law if its use causes”a risk of imminent death or serious bodily injury to another person” or damaging the environment. It carries a penalty of up to a $500 000 fine, in addition to a max. Jail time of 3 decades.

• Switchblades – Illegal – In Canada, switchblades are illegal to sell, buy, trade, transport or otherwise possess. The Canadian Criminal Code defines the switchblade as,”A knife that has a blade that opens automatically by gravity or centrifugal force or by hand pressure applied to a button, spring or other device in or attached to the handle of this knife.”  Different subsections of the code describe possession offenses and penalties. Belt-buckle daggers, push-daggers, finger-ring blades, and innocuously concealed blades will also be Prohibited Weapons in Canada under SOR/98-462 Part 3. If you are found to be in possession of a switchblade, you can get up to 5 years in jail, and your weapon captured.

• Knives – Legal – There is no length restriction on carrying knives inside the Criminal Code of Canada; the only restriction is for concealed carry.  Every person commits an offence that carries a weapon, a prohibited device or any prohibited ammunition concealed, unless the man has been authorised under the Firearms Act to carry it concealed. The general rule is that if your knife is seen as a tool (i.e. Swiss Army knife), police are usually ok with ithowever, if they believe the knife is for self-defense or for fighting, they will take it from you and charge you with possessing a dangerous weapon.
• Nunchaku (home made or store-bought), shuriken, brass knuckles – Illegal

Shuriken

Brass Knuckles

• Fixed blades – machetes, khukuris, swords, bayonets – Legal

Taser

• Tasers and stun guns – Illegal