Police services across the GTA are warning that the use of bear spray is on the rise among young people and it’s being used illegally.
“Over the last five years, we’ve seen 115 per cent increase in bear spray robberies. The notational part about that is that we’ve
seen mainly youth as the people who are actually bear spraying people and youth being the victims of that bear spray robbery,” said Hamilton police Insp. Frank Marcione.
Hamilton police have launched a month-long public awareness campaign with local school boards who have suspended and expelled several students for using the item or having it in their possession.
Investigators have also charged 11 minors in bear spray-related incidents in recent months.
“What we’ve seen recently in Hamilton high schools is that kids are carrying it for protection, whether that’s through a beef that
they’re having with somebody else or they’re hearing about certain incidents happening, they end up getting it and acquiring it and carrying it to school with them,” said Marcione.
“What kids aren’t thinking about is the consequences of having bear spray. It can cause extreme respiratory distress. It can cause panic and long-term skin irritation.”
And the rise of bear spray use amongst youth is not just happening in Hamilton.
A few years ago, a student in Brampton came to Sandalwood Heights High School and deployed bear spray, injuring 18 students.
Bear spray has also been used in several robberies across the GTA, including a fight between tow truck drivers in Brampton, a
jewellery store robbery in Oshawa in late March, and a fight last month in Georgetown.
“The ease of access with bear spray is one of our biggest issues we’re facing right now. Young people are acquiring it in various
different ways, whether that’s through an older sibling who walks in and buys it legitimately, or they buy it online or from a friend,” explained Marcione. “The access and the accessibility of it is probably one of our biggest things we’re trying to challenge through education and enforcement.”
And while bear spray is typically housed behind locked-up display cases, Hamilton Police found that six of the 12 retailers they visited didn’t follow the rules.
CityNews checked out several stores across the GTA, making sure the items were locked up, identification was requested and forms were filled in before purchase.
All seven stores visited were compliant.
While legitimate retailers won’t sell the spray online without certifications, youth are still ending up with it.
Halton Regional Police reported 39 assaults using bear spray since 2023 while Durham police reported 175 incidents, including threats, since 2023.
Toronto, Peel and York police services were not able to provide a breakdown of assaults involving noxious chemicals or bear sprays.
And while buying bear spray is legal, using it for protection from other humans is not.
“Having it for protection could be a criminal offence in itself … criminal charges could include assault with a weapon, assault cause bodily harm, and the consequences of that for youth can be quite extreme, especially in the court system,” added Marcione.
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