Pepper spray is one of the most popular means of less-than-lethal personal protection, yet some colleges inexplicably ban its use. However, thanks to the efforts of Young Americans for Liberty (YAL), that is changing for two college campuses. Hopefully, this will lead to a cascade effect, and other campuses will begin to follow suit.

YAL Gets Two College Campuses to Lift Pepper Spray Ban

Utilizing oleoresin capsicum as its main irritant, many carry pepper spray for defensive purposes due to its effectiveness. Not to mention, pepper spray is legal in some capacity in all 50 states, including Washington DC. Of course, it is important that you check your local and state pepper spray laws for any regulating guidelines.

The fact that it is a non-lethal defensive weapon should cause college campuses to allow students to possess pepper spray for self-defense. Especially in today’s increasingly violent climate. This is the important message YAL is sending in its battle against bans against the chemical spray.

In a recent petition at Florida State University (FSU), YAL states, “Florida State University, a school ranking number 3 in the state and number 59 for all universities nationally on crime frequency, currently prohibits students from carrying tasers and other non-lethal self-defense tools such as pepper spray.”

The petition goes on to say that FSU averaged 13 rape cases per year between 2014-2019. For this reason, YAL demands that students be allowed to:

“Have unrestricted access on campus (including but not limited to, administrative offices and buildings, classrooms, dining halls, and exercise facilities) to arm themselves with non-lethal self-defense tools, such as tasers and pepper spray.”

The petition ultimately garnered 500 signatures adding to YAL FSU Chapter President Serena Barker’s efforts with campus administrators. The win now makes it possible for 47,000 students to practice self-defense on campus.

Barker had this to say, “I’m really proud of my team for putting in the work so that our students can feel safer on campus. It was a lot of long days in the Florida heat, but we did it. Now, students at Florida State can exercise their right to self-defense and no longer need to fear for their safety on campus.”

SUNY Oneonta Also Lifts Ban

YAL was not stopping at FAS and immediately set its sights on the State University of New York (SUNY) Oneonta. In its petition, YAL SUNY Oneonta points out that pepper spray is legal in New York but prohibited on campus. The petition goes on to point out the need for students to have self-defense tools to protect themselves:

“According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 1 in every 5 women and 1 in every 16 men are sexually assaulted while at college. Students should be allowed to have the tools necessary to protect themselves in these sorts of situations.”

However, due to a well-fought campaign by YAL and student activist Alec Woodruff, SUNY Oneonta has lifted the ban.

According to a recent press release, “Young Americans for Liberty (YAL)—the nation’s most active youth liberty organization—is now celebrating victory at SUNY Oneonta. As of this afternoon, the school’s pepper spray ban has been reversed, and students’ right to self-defense has been restored, all because of YAL student activists who fought the administration tooth and nail.”

Following the win, Woodruff gave the following statement:

“Our chapter would like to thank the President for doing the right thing for Oneonta students. But, more importantly, we would like to thank all of the students who signed and helped push this petition forward. Without them, this victory would have never been possible.

“I would also like to thank Young Americans for Liberty for all of the support that they have given the chapter in helping us throughout this fight, most notably the Student Rights Campaign team that guided us every step of the way,” he concluded.

No Signs of Slowing Down

Although these are huge wins for the rights of the students at FSU and SUNY Oneonta, YAL isn’t done yet. The organization is preparing to take on more than 45 Student Rights Campaigns at colleges and universities across America.

The campaigns will include implementing campus carry to ending vaccine mandates.

YAL is out there doing great things for our young people in college who have enough to deal with. The organization stands on the front lines of one of the toughest cultural battlegrounds our country has ever faced. But they can use your help to keep liberty alive in our institutions of higher learning.

If you would like to help these young leaders in their cause, please head over to YALiberty.org and get involved.