PMarth2002 posted...

Look at it this way, its a foot-long item that's easily carried or concealed, can cut through pretty much anything with it, and is a great tool for self-defense or killing someone, plus you can deflect blaster fire with it. Why wouldn't you carry one? You don't lose anything by having one.

And the intuition required to use one masterfully without slicing your own limbs off pretty much requires Force usage, so you don't have to worry about most enemies having one.