A recent study showed that 25 percent of Saudi women aged between 25 and 35 are smokers, while Ministry of Health reports showed 45 percent of men smoke. The reports also provided information about rates of smoking among young people, indicating 24 percent of intermediate- and secondary-school pupils are smokers. The annual cost of treating smoking-related health problems exceeds SR5 billion, according to the reports. A number of women smokers talked to Okaz/Saudi Gazette and discussed what led them to smoke. Widad, 34, says her husband does not know she enjoys shisha. “I've been smoking for three years now at woman's dress shop,” she said. Another woman thinks smoking shisha makes her calmer. “Before my addiction to smoking, we used to fight a lot, me and my husband, because he is often out. When I started smoking, the stress was gone.” The woman said her husband noticed the change, but she would not tell him about her addiction to shisha because she fears he would prevent her smoking, she said. Sara, 26, says she is not addicted, but smoking makes her feel independent. __
