Saudi Arabian women smoking in public spaces has become a common sight even though they are still reluctant to be known by people who know themselves

As said by Rima, 27 years old, who sat relaxed in a luxury cafe in Riyadh. While enjoying his cigarette, he pays attention to his surroundings and hopes no one he knows while enjoying his electronic cigarette.

“I feel smoking in public spaces as part of the experience of a new victory over independence. I am happy that I can now choose,” Rima, who works in a private company in Riyadh, told AFP, Channel News Asia reported, February 16, 2020.

Rima smoked since two years ago. No matter smoking is bad for his health, he even more worried about the family if he found himself a smoker. However, he claimed he was ready to face it.

“I will not tell them that this is about my personal freedom, because they will not understand that women are free to smoke as well as men,” said Rima who wore a black abaya combined with a hijab covering her hair.

Najla, 26 years old, in line with Rima said, double standards are still living in his country. So it is still considering scandal and disgrace if women smoke.

Najla chose to challenge the public and ignore his dirty appearance.

“My rights are fully respected when my family accepts me as a smoker,” he said.

Najla recalls when her friend sent her to a cigarette dependency clinic when her parents found herself smoking.

He started smoking while still in school. Data from the Faculty of Medicine at King Abdulaziz University in 2015 stated that more than 65 percent of women who sat in high school were secretly smokers.

Heba, 36, has been smoking for a long time, when Saudi Arabia made everything forbidden for women.

“I never imagined I could smoke a shisha in a public place next to a man,” he said.

Social change in Saudi Arabia makes women enjoy smoking, smoking shisha pipes, or vaping as a symbol of emancipation.

Women smoking in public spaces have become increasingly common in Saudi Arabia in recent months.

The fact of smoking women was unimaginable before the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, undertook total reform in this ultra-conservative kingdom.