OPINION:
If you listen to conservative radio and podcast hosts such as Megyn Kelly, Dave Rubin, Ben Shapiro, Dana Loesch and Sean Hannity, you’ve likely repeatedly heard many Byrna advertisements promoting less-lethal alternatives to firearms.
“If you carry a gun, the problem with it is if you take somebody’s life and you’re wrong,” Glenn Beck, who had a 52-week advertising campaign during 2024 with Byrna, warned his listeners. Mr. Beck promotes Byrna pepper and tear gas projectiles, saying, “If you don’t know anything about [pepper gas], it is quite effective. … It burns, and it gets inside of your lungs, making you feel like you just can’t breathe.” Many other hosts echo Mr. Beck’s comments.
Byrna’s claims ignore key realities. The company’s ads assume that using a gun always results in death, but that isn’t remotely accurate. In 95% of defensive gun uses, simply displaying a firearm stops an attack without firing a shot. Only a tiny fraction of 1% of defensive gun use results in a fatality or wounding. The vast majority of defensive gun uses are a less-than-lethal alternative.
Although Byrna notes that law enforcement officers are adopting its weapons, police carry firearms for a reason. Pepper gas and Tasers frequently do not get the job done. A National Institute of Justice study found that pepper gas works only 20% of the time when used by arresting officers. Few civilians will carry both a Byrna weapon and a real firearm, and Byrna’s advertising never advises people to carry one of its weapons along with a traditional gun.
Encouraging people to rely on Byrna pepper or tear gas projectiles creates a false sense of security. A person’s pain tolerance, drug use or mental state can affect how they respond to these irritants. The Virginia Commonwealth University Police Department has reported that intoxicated people or those with a high pain threshold may not be affected at all. People who have previously been exposed to pepper spray can develop some tolerance.
Environmental factors can also limit the potency of these weapons. Wind and rain may disperse pepper and tear gas. In indoor situations, using pepper and tear gas may affect defenders as much as their attackers.
Police have used Tasers and other nonlethal weapons for decades. Just like pepper spray and tear gas, they don’t always work. The Police Executive Research Forum finds that, nationwide, Tasers are ineffective about 40% of the time. Clothing and rubber-soled shoes affect their success. Nor are Tasers always nonlethal. An investigation by Reuters identified more than 1,000 cases in the United States of people dying from Tasers, often in combination with other forms of force.
In a podcast where Byrna CEO Bryan Ganz and Chief Revenue and Marketing Officer Luan Pham interviewed me, they acknowledged the limitations of pepper or tear gas, and they personally primarily rely on “kinetic” projectiles. Byrna also sells solid, hard-shell projectiles that have a painful impact. However, these instruments may not stop a determined or intoxicated criminal. These kinetic projectiles also lose effectiveness if the criminal wears heavy apparel such as a winter coat or leather jacket. Because of differences in velocity, weight and aerodynamics, weather (wind and rain) also affects the accuracy and speed of the shots, potentially reducing effectiveness, much more so than is true for faster-moving bullets.
Relying on a Byrna weapon instead of a firearm could leave someone dangerously unprepared when an attacker isn’t deterred.
Byrna’s products do offer undeniable benefits for some people. They are an alternative for those who struggle to obtain a concealed handgun permit or face strict carry restrictions in states such as New York, New Jersey and California. Some people simply feel uncomfortable carrying a firearm, making Byrna’s products a practical option, and having a weapon that looks like a gun may still obtain the benefits obtained from brandishing a firearm. They offer some protection for felons who cannot legally own guns but have real safety concerns. Additionally, Byrna’s products can help deter aggressive animals, especially since brandishing a gun is ineffective. Unlike firearms, Byrna offers a nonlethal, intermediate defense tool that can prevent attacks without deadly force.
Although less lethal than in cases where a gun must be fired, these projectiles can cause serious injury or death. Byrna warns that its weapons “can cause serious injury or death” when striking sensitive areas such as the head, neck or upper torso.
Self-defense requires certainty, not wishful thinking. Although nonlethal tools have their place, they should supplement rather than replace firearms. However, few are being advised to carry both a Byrna weapon and a gun.
• John R. Lott Jr. is president of the Crime Prevention Research Center. He is the author of “Gun Control Myths.”
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