New & Improved OC weapon?
Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 9:10 amIndian military to weaponize world's hottest chili
Mar 23, 6:19 AM (ET)
By WASBIR HUSSAIN
GAUHATI, India (AP) - The Indian military has a new weapon against terrorism: the world's hottest chili.
After conducting tests, the military has decided to use the thumb-sized "bhut jolokia," or "ghost chili," to make tear gas-like hand grenades to immobilize suspects, defense officials said Tuesday.[...]
I'm always interested by improvements in nonlethal weaponry. It has too often happened that the bad guys have been shot full of holes simply because there was nothing else to be done. Oleoresin capsicum aerosol ("pepper spray") is good but sometimes not good enough. It's not clear from the story whether this version will be hotter than the present stuff or whether using the Indian chili is simply a matter of nationalism. Anyhow, this is a story to follow if you are interested in such things.
I didn't know there was a pepper hotter than the habanero, but live and learn, I suppose.