[inkyoto]

«many arson attacks» is a hyperbole.

There have been few isolated incidents of the tobacconist stores having been set ablaze, but it does not equate to, e.g. east coast Australian capital cities, being engulfed in putrid smouldering fires emanating from the said tobacconist shops.

Australian government introduced a (rushed) law in July this year that outlawed street sales of vapes and obligated local pharmacies to sell the officially licensed vapes instead, which has caused a uproar and a revolt on behalf of the Pharmacist Guild who bluntly refused to stock and distribute the vapes. The pharmacies that are not the guild members have made decisions at their own discretion. The drama is still unfolding.

[ramblin_prose]

A few isolated incidents?

There have been more than 70 arson attacks on tobacco stores and other businesses believed to be involved in the sale of illicit tobacco since March 2023, according to the Victoria police assistant commissioner Martin O’Brien.

[inkyoto]

Very well. You are correct, and I will admit my own ignorance with respect to the situation in Victoria as it appears to be wildly (in the literal sense of the word) different, and I used the NSW situational numbers.

ABC[0] reports following numbers for arson attacks on tobacconists across Australian states:

NSW: 14

Victoria: 130

Queensland: 30

South Australia: 12

Western Australia: 8

Whilst 14 (NSW) is more than a few, the order of magnitude difference compared with 130 (VIC) is a bewildering revelation, indeed, especially considering that NSW has a larger population. I do not know what makes NSW and VIC so different with respect to the matter at hand.

[0] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-29/two-men-arrested-over...

[lmpdev]

I don’t think many is a hyperbole, it’s surpassed 100 arson attacks in Victoria alone…