This recent trend means it is a common sight to see Jeddawi women, both expatriates and Saudis, smoking in malls, cafes and restaurants with friends or unaccompanied by family.

Most women tend to smoke secretly to avoid unnecessary drama. These secret societies are circumspectly designed with intricate yet austere policies. Smokers have their designated spots, times and a set of friends to smoke with.

Malls and cafes are among the preferred private spots. Students ditch classes to go during the day and smoke there to avoid suspicion at home.

Women may enjoy their cigarettes with their friends, abiding by a “smoke-and-don’t-tell” policy. They usually buy easily available cigarette packs outside and hide them at work to avoid getting caught by their families.

These so-called secret smokers also carry strong perfumes, chewing gums, hand sanitizers, and lotions to get rid of all evidence, such as the taste and smell of tobacco. The system is pervasive in society now, as it is cautionary and secret in its application.

Most women believe smoking can have a negative impact on their marriages, whereas single young girls agreed they would have difficulty finding a man who would marry them if he knew they smoked, which is why they keep the habit secret.

Another Saudi girl, who chose to remain anonymous, questioned the mindset of the general public and their acceptance of smoking. “They do not want to face the stark reality. But a woman wants to smoke as much as a man would. Why the hypocrisy?” she questioned.

“We smoke with our friends, basically people who will not judge us for something so universal. It is common in cafes and restaurants, so we come here to enjoy our peace and quiet with a cigarette before or after work. We have an unspoken rule, it is top-secret. Our friends are the only ones who know and we always have perfumes or gum to get rid of the tobacco smell.”

These sects of women in society who smoke can be broken down further.

“(Some do it) for enjoyment, to relax or take their mind off troubles,” 25-year-old Rania told Arab News. “In our society, we are open-minded. Usually the upper urban class of Saudi families who have a lot of exposure do not conceal the habit of smoking.”

She added that smoking was becoming more acceptable with the newer generation.

“My siblings know I smoke. We do not just want to cause havoc and drama at home because our parents would find it unacceptable and shameful if they knew,” another girl in her late 20s told Arab News.

“It’s about taking a break from usual troubles and hanging out with friends to have a good time. Plus this generation understands it’s a habit you do not need to hide.”

Women smokers who spoke to Arab News gave a variety of reasons why or how they started smoking. Some started in school, their early teens, later in college, or they succumbed to peer pressure.

“It was like our ticket to hang out with the cool girls and helped us socialize and cultivate our friendship over a smoke. It is the best feeling to have a conversation over coffee or a meal with friends and cigarettes,” admits Huda, 23.

“Undeniably moments in our lives are personally linked to cigarettes, they leave an imprint on our lives. Plus you always itch to light up a cigarette after a movie that has your favorite personality smoking with alluring confidence. Yes, we are greatly influenced.”

Smoking is also seen as a way to alleviate depression, some girls admitted.

“Sometimes you just need to smoke to think. We have a lot of pressure like other women outside the Kingdom who are allowed to smoke to relax in contrast. I just need to do the same,” said one college student.

“It clears my head and it may be psychological but through hard times a cigarette is your only friend, always available. Songs and movies also give the same feeling.”

When asked about the adverse medical implications, she said: “We all know (smoking) has consequences, but it helps relieve the tension after a hard day at work or fights with family or colleagues. You don’t have time to sit down and think about cancer. Although I do not recommend smoking, I believe it is a personal choice. Unfortunately, we have to keep it a secret.”

According to a survey by the Anti-Smoking Charitable Association in Saudi Arabia, 45 percent of women smokers are younger than 15. A study conducted in 13 schools revealed 38 percent of students in secondary schools smoke. It also revealed that 27 percents of students began smoking in elementary school.

UAE based Khaleej Times newspaper also published the results of a study on the rising number of women smokers in the Kingdom.

The number of smokers in Saudi Arabia has increased to 6 million, including 600,000 women, the research revealed. Women are increasingly buying cigarettes available in the local corner shops, according to shopkeepers.

“In the past, only men would buy cigarettes, but now women buy them regularly and have certain brands they prefer, such as Vogue, Dunhill Silver and Davidoff Lights,” said one shopkeeper.

However, other parts of the Kingdom are yet to experience the same sort of women smoker trends in Makkah, Riyadh or Madinah.

This is due to the social ethics, restraints and boundaries that safeguard women from smoking. “People tend to judge you and compare you to Hollywood sirens who are considered a social evil,” Rania said.

Young Saudi men were also asked if they would marry a woman who smoked.

A 26-year-old said he would “not want to marry a woman stinking like an ashtray.”

A 25-year-old Saudi accountant said: “It is considered unethical for good women to smoke, especially in public, even though I do not mind her smoking in private. It is considered disrespectful to smoke in front of our elders.”

“The double standards of men are revolting. They do not want a wife who smokes while they can and also choose to be in their (women smokers) company as friends, despite rejecting them as marriage material simultaneously. It is why we choose to smoke and not tell,” said one woman teacher.

A non-smoker had sympathy for the almost comical scenario facing secret smokers, “It is not their fault. I would smoke secretly if I was a smoker. The common attitude of people who judge smokers is straightforward. If you’re smoking, you’re going to hell.”