By MAC SMITH

---

“Everybody should have the right to protect themselves, if I had the chance to carry pepper spray on a right around with me I would,” said Zaine Bradley, a Salisbury University Freshman, after finding out that pepper spray was banned on campus.  

Pepper spray was banned from Salisbury University due to the university’s policy that prohibits items that could threaten campus safety. However, other universities, such as North Carolina State, Old Dominion and the University of Maryland allow students to carry pepper spray for self-defense. 

Section IV of the Salisbury University code of community standards prohibits the possession of any item that could threaten student safety on campus. Unless it is signed off by the SU police department allowing you to carry, on an individual basis, those carrying pepper spray on campus or at University affiliated events could face legal consequences. 

In 2023 there were twenty reports of on-campus crimes, including assault, rape, stalking and more. Crime rates in the surrounding city of Salisbury have reached a far higher rate than the recorded incidents in the state of Maryland. 

Last year, a reported incident occurred on Feb. 11, 2024, when an SU student was stalked and nearly kidnapped in a University parking lot. This student isn’t the only one who felt their life was at risk: several SU students, including Alaina, were shocked to discover that a self-defense tool as important as pepper spray was prohibited.

“A lot of people need it for safety and self-defense, especially for women in this area; it’s not the safest,” Alaina said. 

This demonstrates that many students at SU feel compelled to carry self-defense items like pepper spray, which is technically a violation of school policy due to the current code of community standards. Lacking an exception for self-defense items, current policy punishes students who wish to defend themselves.

There is a petition circulating that demands Salisbury University lift the pepper spray ban on campus and at University affiliated events. Young Americans for Liberty, or YAL, started the petition, which, if successful, would add a self-defense exception to section IV of the code of community standards, which currently prohibits the use of all dangerous items. 

A representative from the YAL did not respond to a request for comment.

In addition to the petition, on April 3 a student resolution was read to the Student Government Association which criticizes the prohibition of pepper spray. The passage of SR-79004, titled “Pepper Spray Self-Defense Act,” would put pressure on the administration to amend current policy and end restrictions on carrying and pepper spray for students who rely on it for self-defense.

---

Featured image: GETTY IMAGES