Brazil authorizes pepper spray for women's self‑defense
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 15 474 on 24 July 2026, legalising the commercialisation, acquisition and possession of pepper‑spray devices for women’s self‑defence throughout Brazil. The law permits women aged 18 years or older to buy spray that contains vegetable‑based capsaicin extracts, with containers limited to a maximum of 50 ml for civilian use. Purchasers must present a photo ID, proof of residence and a declaration of no violent‑crime convictions; sellers must keep sales records for five years in compliance with the LGPD. Use is allowed only in legitimate defence of an current or imminent aggression and must be proportionate, with larger containers reserved for the armed forces and public‑security bodies. The regulation also creates a national programme to train women in personal‑defence and the use of low‑potential‑offence devices.