Washington legal term
Personal protection spray device in Washington Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Washington legislative session
In Washington criminal law, “Personal protection spray device” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Washington criminal code.
What does “Personal protection spray device” mean in Washington criminal law?
"Personal protection spray device" means a commercially available dispensing device designed and intended for use in self-defense and containing a nonlethal sternutator or lacrimator agent, including but not limited to: (i) Tear gas, the active ingredient of which is either chloroacetophenone (CN) or O-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile (CS); or (ii) Other agent commonly known as mace, pepper mace, or pepper gas. (RCW 9.91.160)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.