This misuse of a legitimate product has attracted the attention and action of the paint industry. Seven years ago, industry members established the National Council to Prevent Delinquency, a nonprofit group dedicated to preventing the dangerous or illegal misuse of consumer products by young people. The council s Anti-Graffiti Project works to promote values education, strong law enforcement and effective graffiti abatement programs. The following is taken from an interview with Robert Hills, executive director of the council and head of its Anti-Graffiti Project . Hills has over 20 years experience in public policy development and prior to his current role with the NCPD , represented the paint industry on a number of state and local policy issues.
Education is the best hope for long-term reduction of graffiti.
By educating the very young to positive values and giving them proper direction we can reduce the flow of new recruits into the tagger ranks, thereby, reducing the problem. In addition to its misuse by graffiti vandals, spray paint also has a history of misuse by inhalant abusers, who concentrate the fumes in a bag or can for huffing or sniffing. More recent inhalant reports show a wider use of other consumer products by abusers, such as butane lighter refills, computer keyboard cleaner and cosmetic products. As to vandalism, taggers in some areas have lately gone more heavily into paint sticks and etching tools as they are easier to conceal and, particularly in the case of glass or Plexiglas, require more time and money to repair or replace the vandalized surfaces. Spray paint differs from other paints not so much in its composition as in its delivery system.