Quit Smoking and Your Wedding is On Us
A Saudi charity based in Riyadh has come up with an extraordinary campaign to encourage men to stop smoking. Saudi Arabia has a population of 27.6 million, an estimated quarter of which are smokers. The campaign slogan: “Kicking the habit is on you, and marriage is on us” has gained interest from hundreds of men. One non-smoker has even pondered over the idea to start smoking so he could participate.
The grand prize winner, who will be announced on August 6, will win an all expenses paid wedding from the charity and twenty runners-up will win free furniture. The campaign has been receiving much attention, both positive and negative.
Some see it as a good way to kill two birds with one stone, creating a smoke free family and helping young men with their marriage expenses which are extremely high in Saudi Arabia. Others are criticizing the campaign calling it sexist or saying that it devalues what should be a holy union. Some women have even found the campaign to be insulting as they feel they are being placed in a situation where they feel they are being given away for free.
What is your take on the Saudi campaign? Do you think that such an initiative would work and should be emulated in other countries? Do you think it would be better to change the prize from wedding expenses to something else?
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