Editorial: Raise the age to buy the can

Graffiti is a blight on our beautiful city.

Those who spend their spare time destroying others' properties by marring them with obscene scrawlings have no clue of the damage they cause.

But this is not a victimless crime. Property owners face the mess, the clean-up, the cost - and for some the violation of having vandals on their land.

So it is pleasing to note a programme designed to combat this crime is a success.

The city's graffiti prevention officer Jane Denton told the Bay of Plenty Times yesterday that nearly 9500 tags were removed last year - 3400 fewer than the previous year.

That's an amazing 25 per cent drop.

Ms Denton says the result is due to a successful working relationship with police and other Government agencies on enforcement, with police taking a more proactive stance on tagging.

The programme has also seen legal graffiti art used as a successful deterrent.

The city council, police and other agencies must be commended taking action on the problem and its positive result.

Now, it is important that they continue their hard work so graffiti becomes an issue of the past. The question is, what more can be done?

The issue needs to be tackled at a higher level.

In 1996, the Government raised the legal purchase age for tobacco.

Since then, youth smoking rates have continued to drop. Higher taxes and restrictions on smoking in restaurants and bars have also contributed to a decline in the number of cigarette smokers.

Perhaps tougher restrictions on the sales of spray cans to minors could have similar effects on graffiti rates.

Central government needs to take a leaf out of Tauranga's book and take a proactive stance against this unsightly crime.