JEDDAH: It appears that smoking is no longer an issue for modern couples, with brides and grooms appearing more concerned about whether their partners are financially stable, abstain from alcohol and perform their daily prayers.
This is according to Abdullah Bieshe, head of the Family Reform Center, who was quoted as saying by a local publication on Tuesday that families believe this to be a secondary issue compared to many years ago when being a non-smoker was essential for a man seeking a woman’s hand in marriage.
Bieshe said this criterion has disappeared in certain areas and become peripheral in other such as Qassim and Riyadh. Most families now want to have answers to other questions, around finances and religious issues, he said.
Bieshe said there has recently been an assault on traditional values, with men and women smokers making sure their partners are indulging so that they would not have to give up their own habit. Many men these days complain that their wives steal cigarettes from them, he said.
Bieshe said that smoking by either person often causes arguments. Many women complain that their husbands are inconsiderate and smoke inside home, he said.
The Customs Department has reported that the country makes about SR4 billion yearly from cigarettes, which increases 3 to 4 percent a year because of the rise in the number of smokers.
There are no official figures for the number of smokers in the Kingdom but Niqa, the country’s anti-smoking association, has stated that Saudi Arabia has the fourth most smokers in the world.
It said that in the Kingdom 40 percent are males, 10 percent females and 15 percent young people. A Niqa study showed that 10 percent of pupils in Riyadh smoked at their schools, while 40 percent had done so outside their homes.
This is according to Abdullah Bieshe, head of the Family Reform Center, who was quoted as saying by a local publication on Tuesday that families believe this to be a secondary issue compared to many years ago when being a non-smoker was essential for a man seeking a woman’s hand in marriage.
Bieshe said this criterion has disappeared in certain areas and become peripheral in other such as Qassim and Riyadh. Most families now want to have answers to other questions, around finances and religious issues, he said.
Bieshe said there has recently been an assault on traditional values, with men and women smokers making sure their partners are indulging so that they would not have to give up their own habit. Many men these days complain that their wives steal cigarettes from them, he said.
Bieshe said that smoking by either person often causes arguments. Many women complain that their husbands are inconsiderate and smoke inside home, he said.
The Customs Department has reported that the country makes about SR4 billion yearly from cigarettes, which increases 3 to 4 percent a year because of the rise in the number of smokers.
There are no official figures for the number of smokers in the Kingdom but Niqa, the country’s anti-smoking association, has stated that Saudi Arabia has the fourth most smokers in the world.
It said that in the Kingdom 40 percent are males, 10 percent females and 15 percent young people. A Niqa study showed that 10 percent of pupils in Riyadh smoked at their schools, while 40 percent had done so outside their homes.
No comments:
Post a Comment