Physsec Reference

---
name: physsec-reference
description: "Use when you need a free or low-cost training resource or reference (FEMA IS-907, CISA, the Secret Service NTAC, Stop the Bleed, empowerment self-defense, SC SLED, RAND Gun Policy in America, the recommended books), a crisis line (988, the National DV Hotline, the SAMHSA National Helpline), a glossary term (AOJ, BTAM, castle doctrine, CPTED, CWP, DGU, disparity of force, fail-safe and fail-secure, MRTP, NFA, NICS, OC, PPPA, Schedule I and III), the currency notes on what will go stale first, or the sources and method behind the reference. Skill 8 of 8 of the Physical Security, Self-Defense, Firearms and the ATF Substances reference."
---

# Resources, Glossary, Currency Notes and Sources

> **Skill 8 of 8** of the *Physical Security, Self-Defense, Firearms, and the "ATF Substances"* reference
> (plugin `physical-security-self-defense-and-firearms`), carrying source Part IX, *Resources, Glossary, Sources*, and the closing method note: §27–§30 — training and references, the glossary, the currency notes and the sources. Sibling skills:
> `physsec-foundations-and-threat-modeling` (§0–§4 — how to read the reference, threat modeling, the security mindset, layered defense and CPTED),
> `physsec-securing-buildings` (§5–§8 — homes, home hardening, organizations and commercial buildings, and targeted violence),
> `physsec-personal-security-and-self-defense` (§9–§13 — personal security, the self-defense hierarchy, training evidence, less-lethal tools and Stop the Bleed),
> `physsec-firearms-mechanics-safety-and-carry` (§14–§16 — how firearms work (conceptual), safety, storage and the risk ledger, choosing, training and carrying),
> `physsec-firearms-and-self-defense-law` (§17–§18 — federal firearms law and South Carolina carry and self-defense law, as of September 2026),
> `physsec-alcohol-tobacco-and-cannabis` (§19–§23 — cannabis, alcohol and tobacco/nicotine on mechanism, medicine, harms, law and self-defense),
> `physsec-decision-tools-and-contested-questions` (§24–§26 and Part VIII — the personal security plan, spending priorities, the organizational checklist and the contested questions).
>
> Section numbers are **the source's own and shared across the whole set**: a reference written
> as §N → `skill` points into that sibling skill.

> **Read this first — the source's own limits and tags** (in full at §0 →
> `physsec-foundations-and-threat-modeling`). **Not legal advice** (self-defense law is
> fact-specific and South Carolina case law is detailed — talk to a criminal-defense attorney
> before you need one). **Not medical advice** (no dosing, no regimens). **Not a substitute for
> hands-on training** — firearms handling, medical skills and physical self-defense cannot be
> learned from text. Evidence tags: **\[STRONG\]** replicated, large-sample, or randomized
> evidence; professional consensus · **\[MODERATE\]** consistent observational evidence;
> plausible mechanism · **\[WEAK\]** self-report surveys, small or industry-funded studies,
> expert opinion · **\[CONTESTED\]** serious researchers disagree; both positions presented ·
> **\[LAW-2026\]** legal state as of Sept 2026; verify before relying on it. The source was
> compiled on September 30, 2026 and has not been re-checked for this pack; what will go stale
> first is listed at §29 below.

> **Pack orientation** (the pack's words, not the source's): Part IX of the source, whole, and its closing method note.

## How to read a pointer

Every pointer in this set has the form **§N → `sibling-skill`**. §N is the source's own section
number (§0–§30), shared across all eight skills; the skill name is the file to open.

| Sections | Skill | What lives there |
|---|---|---|
| §0–§4 | `physsec-foundations-and-threat-modeling` | How to read the reference, threat modeling, the security mindset, layered defense and CPTED |
| §5–§8 | `physsec-securing-buildings` | Homes, home hardening, organizations and commercial buildings, and targeted violence |
| §9–§13 | `physsec-personal-security-and-self-defense` | Personal security, the self-defense hierarchy, training evidence, less-lethal tools and Stop the Bleed |
| §14–§16 | `physsec-firearms-mechanics-safety-and-carry` | How firearms work (conceptual), safety, storage and the risk ledger, choosing, training and carrying |
| §17–§18 | `physsec-firearms-and-self-defense-law` | Federal firearms law and South Carolina carry and self-defense law, as of September 2026 |
| §19–§23 | `physsec-alcohol-tobacco-and-cannabis` | Cannabis, alcohol and tobacco/nicotine on mechanism, medicine, harms, law and self-defense |
| §24–§26 and Part VIII | `physsec-decision-tools-and-contested-questions` | The personal security plan, spending priorities, the organizational checklist and the contested questions |
| §27–§30 | `physsec-reference` | Training and references, the glossary, the currency notes and the sources |

## §27 Free/low-cost training and references

- **FEMA IS-907** *Active Shooter: What You Can Do* (online, free)
- **CISA** Active Shooter Preparedness, Pathway to Violence, Power of Hello, security guides for faith-based organizations and small businesses
- **US Secret Service NTAC** reports on targeted violence and mass attacks
- **Stop the Bleed** (American College of Surgeons) courses
- **Empowerment self-defense** programs (look for EAAA-style curricula for women; programs that include verbal skills and risk recognition)
- **SC SLED** CWP information and approved instructors; SC Code of Laws (scstatehouse.gov) Titles 16 and 23
- **RAND Gun Policy in America** — the most even-handed evidence synthesis available (5th edition)
- **988** Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; National DV Hotline 1-800-799-7233; SAMHSA National Helpline 1-800-662-4357
- Books: Gavin de Becker, *The Gift of Fear* (intuition and pre-incident indicators; dated in places); Massad Ayoob, *Deadly Force*; Andrew Branca, *The Law of Self Defense*; Rory Miller, *Meditations on Violence*

## §28 Glossary

- **AOJ (Ability, Opportunity, Jeopardy)** — a common teaching framework for when deadly force may be justified: attacker has the means, is positioned to use them, and is acting in a way that places you in imminent danger.
- **BTAM** — Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management.
- **Castle doctrine** — legal presumptions favoring defenders against unlawful forcible entry into homes/occupied vehicles.
- **CPTED** — Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design.
- **CWP** — Concealed Weapons Permit (SC).
- **DGU** — Defensive Gun Use.
- **Disparity of force** — when size, number, skill or other factors let an unarmed attacker pose a deadly threat.
- **Fail-safe / fail-secure** — lock behavior on power loss (unlocked vs. locked).
- **MRTP** — FDA Modified Risk Tobacco Product order.
- **NFA** — National Firearms Act (1934).
- **NICS** — National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
- **OC** — oleoresin capsicum (pepper spray).
- **PPPA** — SC Protection of Persons and Property Act.
- **Schedule I / III** — federal controlled-substance categories; Schedule III has accepted medical use and lower abuse potential.

## §29 Currency notes — what will go stale first

1. **Marijuana rescheduling** — DEA's broader Schedule III decision is pending after the summer 2026 hearing.
2. **§ 922(g)(3) after *Hemani*** — expect lower-court fights over "dangerousness" and possible congressional action.
3. **NFA registration litigation** — *Jensen*, *Brown* and other cases; appeals likely.
4. **Hemp THC cap** — takes effect November 12, 2026.
5. **Cytisinicline** — FDA status after the June 2026 target date.
6. **SC medical cannabis** — watch the 2027 session.
7. **Alcohol guidance** — the gap between the 2025 Surgeon General advisory and the 2026 Dietary Guidelines may produce further revisions.

## §30 Sources (primary and high-quality secondary)

**Firearms law and policy**

- *United States v. Hemani*, No. 24-1234 (June 18, 2026) — [https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/24-1234](https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/24-1234) ; CRS summary LSB11450 — [https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/LSB11450.html](https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/LSB11450.html)
- SC H.3594 (2024) — [https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess125_2023-2024/bills/3594.htm](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess125_2023-2024/bills/3594.htm)
- SC Code § 16-11-440 (PPPA) — via lawofselfdefense.com and SC Legislature
- Municipal Association of SC summary of permitless carry — [https://www.masc.sc/uptown/04-2024/general-assembly-passes-permitless-gun-carry-law](https://www.masc.sc/uptown/04-2024/general-assembly-passes-permitless-gun-carry-law)
- SAF on *Jensen v. ATF* (Aug. 5, 2026) — [https://saf.org/judge-short-barreled-rifle-suppressor-nfa-registration-scheme-unconstitutional/](https://saf.org/judge-short-barreled-rifle-suppressor-nfa-registration-scheme-unconstitutional/) ; *Brown v. ATF* — Wikipedia summary
- RAND, *The Science of Gun Policy* (4th ed. 2024; 5th ed.) — [https://www.rand.org/research/gun-policy.html](https://www.rand.org/research/gun-policy.html)

**Firearm injury epidemiology**

- NSC Injury Facts (CDC WONDER) — [https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/home-and-community/safety-topics/guns/](https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/home-and-community/safety-topics/guns/)
- Pew Research, gun deaths 2024 — [https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/04/28/what-the-data-says-about-gun-deaths-in-the-us/](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/04/28/what-the-data-says-about-gun-deaths-in-the-us/)
- Studdert et al., *NEJM* 2020;382:2220–29 (handgun ownership and suicide)
- Firearm storage and firearm suicide, *JAMA Network Open* 2025 — [https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2836043](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2836043)

**Crime and victimization**

- BJS, *Criminal Victimization, 2024* — [https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/criminal-victimization-2024](https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/criminal-victimization-2024)
- UNC Charlotte burglar survey (SIAC-hosted) — [https://siacinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Burglar-Survey-Study-Final-Report.pdf](https://siacinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Burglar-Survey-Study-Final-Report.pdf)
- Piza et al., CCTV meta-analysis, *Criminology & Public Policy* 2019;18:135–159
- Welsh et al., street lighting review, *Criminology & Public Policy* 2022

**Active assailant and prevention**

- CISA Active Shooter Preparedness Action Guide (2025) and product library — [https://www.cisa.gov/topics/physical-security/active-shooter-preparedness](https://www.cisa.gov/topics/physical-security/active-shooter-preparedness)
- FEMA IS-907.A — [https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/training/active-shooter-what-you-can-do](https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/training/active-shooter-what-you-can-do)

**Self-defense training and less-lethal**

- Senn et al., *NEJM* 2015;372:2326–35 (EAAA RCT); 2-year follow-up (*Psychology of Women Quarterly* 2017)
- NIJ, *Evaluation of Pepper Spray* — [https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles/162358.pdf](https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles/162358.pdf)
- Pepper spray in policing, *Police Practice and Research* 2017 (936 incidents)
- OC vs. TASER comparison, *Criminal Justice Policy Review* (via Force Science summary)

**Trauma care**

- Kragh et al., *Annals of Surgery* 2009 (tourniquet survival)
- Teixeira et al., *J Am Coll Surg* 2018 (Texas Tourniquet Study Group)
- Eilertsen et al., *Prehospital and Disaster Medicine* 2020 (systematic review)

**Cannabis**

- Hsu et al., "Therapeutic Use of Cannabis and Cannabinoids," *JAMA* 2025, doi:10.1001/jama.2025.19433
- DOJ, Schedule III order for FDA-approved and state-licensed medical marijuana (Apr. 2026) — [https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-places-fda-approved-marijuana-products-and-products-containing-marijuana](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-places-fda-approved-marijuana-products-and-products-containing-marijuana)
- Morgan Lewis on the post-hearing status (Sept. 24, 2026) — [https://www.morganlewis.com/pubs/2026/09/high-time-for-a-change-post-dea-hearing-broader-marijuana-rescheduling-questions-remain](https://www.morganlewis.com/pubs/2026/09/high-time-for-a-change-post-dea-hearing-broader-marijuana-rescheduling-questions-remain)
- MPP and Drug Policy Watch on SC's Compassionate Care Act status (2026)

**Alcohol**

- US Surgeon General's Advisory on Alcohol and Cancer Risk (Jan. 2025) — [https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-publications/alcohol-cancer/index.html](https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-publications/alcohol-cancer/index.html)
- AASLD statement on the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines (Jan. 9, 2026) — [https://www.aasld.org/aasld-raises-concern-over-removal-evidence-based-alcohol-guidance-2025-2030-dietary-guidelines](https://www.aasld.org/aasld-raises-concern-over-removal-evidence-based-alcohol-guidance-2025-2030-dietary-guidelines)

**Tobacco/nicotine**

- FDA, ZYN ULTRA authorization (Aug. 21, 2026) — [https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/ctp-newsroom/fda-authorizes-11-new-nicotine-pouches](https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/ctp-newsroom/fda-authorizes-11-new-nicotine-pouches)
- FDA MRTP orders for ZYN (June 30, 2026) — via HCPLive and FDA CTP newsroom
- Achieve Life Sciences SEC filings on cytisinicline (2026)

*Method note: sources were prioritized as primary (statutes, court opinions, government reports, peer-reviewed trials) → high-quality secondary (RAND, CRS, professional-society statements) → trade and advocacy sources (used only for current-events facts and flagged where they carry interest). Industry-funded findings (alarm deterrence, TASER effectiveness from the manufacturer) are marked as such. **\[Pack note: the alarm finding is marked (§5); the TASER-vs-OC comparison in §12 is not — see the pack note there.\]** Legal statements reflect research through September 30, 2026 and are not a substitute for counsel.*

## Where to go next (pack navigation, not source text)

- **Every other skill in this set** is listed in the pointer table above; most of the glossary's terms are used in context there.