Every time I step out of my house in Cairo, I feel I am having a smoking bath-the air pollution on the streets and the ubiquitous cigarette/ sheesha smoke in the public places. Last evening, at Café Pasqua, the cigarette smoke was so thick that I found it difficult to eat my dinner. It is virtually impossible to find a smoke-free restaurant in Cairo. At the Al-Sawy theatre in Zamalek, despite a specific announcement of “no smoking” for the duration of the play, a number of people lighted their cigarettes. Here, people seem impervious to requests of non-smoking -as was the plumber who entered my apartment, puffing away on his cigarette ???. Hey! I always thought that smoking etiquette requires that you seek permission of the hostess before lighting a cigarette. When I requested him to snub it, he looked blankly at me; when I repeated my request, he gave me a charming smile and tried to convince me to allow him to smoke! Incorrigible!
Apparently, Egypt has the highest number of smokers in the Middle East and the North African region. The Egyptian government, in an effort to curb Egypt’s smoking culture passed a law in June of this year, which includes among other measures, a ban on smoking in indoor areas and on the sale of tobacco to those under the age of 18. Read all about this on http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2007/850/eg5.htm. I dont know to what extent this law has actually been implemented and to what extent is it being enforced. Need to check up on this-will post an update on the status of the legislation.
P.S You know you are in Egypt when your husband who has given up smoking five years ago comes home smelling of cigarette smoke and you think that he has reneged on his promise to quit smoking -In reality, he is only a passive smoker!
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