Children as young as 16 will be able to use pepper spray for self-defence in a crime-troubled Australian territory following a year-long trial.
The Northern Territory is set to make the use of OC Spray legal, citing a 99% success rate for its trial.
Availability will also be expanded, allowing teens aged from 16 to carry the spray following feedback from parents, the NT government said.
"Territorians have embraced OC Spray for self-defence and made it clear they want to continue to have access and they want to see that access expanded to younger people," Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said on Tuesday.
"During the trial, we had a lot of feedback about OC Spray only being available to people aged 18 years and over, with many parents telling us that they wanted their 16- and 17-year-olds to have access as well."
Eligible people aged 16 and 17 will be able to purchase, possess, carry and use controlled OC Spray, with consent required from parents or guardians who must not be prohibited persons.
Pepper spray provided a self-defence option for young people, many of whom held down night-time jobs, Ms Finocchiaro said.
"Having access to OC Spray could be the difference between life and death, or serious injury," she said in a statement.
The new arrangements ban young people from taking OC Spray into schoolgrounds and expand its use within NT households, allowing residents and eligible visitors to deploy it for self-defence in "genuine emergency situations".
"This means, for example, a husband will be able to purchase OC Spray for his wife and children aged 16 and above for self-defence in their home," an NT government statement said.
Availability will also be extended to roles in security, hospitality, crowd control and licensed venues.
Since the trial began, 5976 OC Spray canisters have been purchases in the territory.
Police have seized 69 canisters and identified 46 prohibited purchasers, representing 1.2% of buyers.
"It is a stunning result to have a 99% success rate with a reform of this magnitude," Ms Finocchiaro said.
Western Australia is the only other jurisdiction in the country to allow general sale of OC Spray.