IMHO this is just a case of gross mismanagement by the park services. Black bear population in the GSMNP and New Jersey is way over the healthy carrying capacity and increasing yearly. Bears are adaptive apex predators, when they are hungry they will find food. Sick and old bears that are starving will do "abnormal" things like attempt to prey on hikers if they are hungry enough. Until they allow hunting to maintain a healthy population level this problem will continue to get worse. Being in the wilderness isn't risk free and you have to make informed decisions about what risks to take and how to mitigate them. If 8 oz helps you get a good night sleep then I say it's worth the weight but understand that it's not some sort of magic shield that will protect you from bears. You have to be able to deploy it successfully and it doesn't always work. There are plenty of examples of bears being scared away by spray and coming back later to try again. I don't think it's worth carrying myself.