An defense substance spray canister is provided. The defense substance spray canister includes a cylindrical outer tube defining a longitudinal axis of the defense substance spray canister through an axial center of the cylindrical outer tube, a defense substance storage container contained within the cylindrical outer tube, the defense substance storage container including a valve operable to selectively release a flow of defense substance, an activation sleeve centered upon the longitudinal axis and, based upon relative movement of the activation sleeve relative to the cylindrical outer tube, operable to activate the valve, and a sleeve force transmission assembly operable to transform the relative movement of the activation sleeve relative to the cylindrical outer tube into an activation force upon the valve operable to selectively release the flow of defense substance.