Crime is a universal phenomenon - it is present in all countries and societies. Attempts are made to produce the latest techniques and weapons to help control unlawful individuals and, at the same time, keep the level of injury to a minimum. Whenever possible, lethal force is only used in case of extreme circumstances.

One of the devices which stands out in this field is the electric shock gun or "stun gun" as it is popularly known. As the name suggests, a stun gun is a device which temporarily incapacitates an individual by inhibiting the muscular activity by providing an electric shock. The law enforcement people can use the time during which the person is helpless, and in a state of pain, to overpower or arrest that individual. It is a much better option than having to shoot dead a person who is out of control.

Taser International is the name of one of the companies which produces such weapons and Taser products are widely used by law enforcement agencies. The stun gun taser is one self defense product produced by this company. It works by ejecting electrodes which are propelled by a gas charge and connected to the gun via wires. A stun gun taser typically has a range of around 30 feet.

One little known fact is that experiments conducted on the stun gun taser have found it of questionable use under flammable conditions. They have been known to produce a spark while delivering electric shock to the target. Moreover people with certain types of medical conditions may not be able to sustain even the shock delivered by the stun gun taser and succumb to death. This has happened in some cases, but in most it was discovered that the death was not due to heavy shock but some other reason which was aggravated by the use of shock.

While causalities have been reported and civil liberty groups are against the use of stun gun tasers and similar devices, the upside to its use is that police officers are less involved in shooting incidents after being armed with stun gun tasers. Still, the question regarding the ethical use of the weapon remains undetermined.

To protection oneself or not... it is a personal choice. Of course this is not an easy task since a delicate balance needs to be maintained between the safety of the individual from the stun gun taser, and the safety of the society as a whole from the very individual who could be overpowered by using the stun gun taser.

Based on these findings, choosing to protect oneself in a world accelerating in crime should be a well thought out decision. It is the right of the individual to protect oneself from harm, and the stun gun provides the means to do just that. Its effectiveness more often than not stops the assailant in his or her tracks, rendering them incapable of further violence. Something, it is believed, we can all appreciate.

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