Law enforcement trainers and firearms instructors should be aware of VN (also called PAVA or VP). This new synthetic ingredient is currently being used in only one brand of pepper sprays (Pepper Ball™ ) instead of natural chili pepper. Capsaicin is a safe and natural ingredient responsible for hotness of chili peppers found in most OC sprays. Scientific data shows that VN differs from Capsaicin. Natural capsaicin has a higher SHU than VN.

Toxicity data resulted in VN having a lethal dose of 8 milligram per each kilogram of body weight, whereas Capsaicin is greater than >120. This illustrates that very little amount of VN causes greater lethality in laboratory and that Capsaicin is at least 15 times less toxic than VN.

References
Newman, A.A., Natural and Synthetic pepper flavored substances (2-6), Chem. Prod. London. 16, 379, 1953: 17, 1954. Szolcsanyi, J. and Jansco-Gabor, A., Sensory Effects of Capsaicin Congeners. I. Relationship Between Chemical Structure and Pain-Producing Potency of Punget Agents. Arzneim-Forsch. Drug Res., 25. 1877, 1975.