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Give up smoking get a free wedding
Some criticize the move and some praise it. In Islam smoking is haram so how can it be wrong.
Date: 6/29/2009 1:04:26 PM ( 15 y ) ... viewed 2473 times
Free wedding for quitting smoking
Generic ashtray pic
The winner of the grand prize will be announced in August
A charity in the Saudi capital Riyadh has come up with a novel incentive to encourage young men to quit smoking - an all-expenses-paid wedding.
Hundreds of men have expressed interest in the anti-smoking drive, including a non-smoker who was ready to start the habit just so he could take part.
Banners in Riyadh are advertising the campaign slogan: "Kicking the habit is on you, and marriage is on us."
In much of the Arab world, the groom alone bears the cost of a wedding.
The charity Purity says participants will complete a seven-day course to quit smoking.
'Sexist'
The name of the grand prize winner will be decided in a draw on 6 August. Twenty runners-up will get free furniture.
The high expense for a wedding means that Arab men often put off marriage until they have saved enough money to take a bride.
Some in Saudi Arabia have criticised the campaign, suggesting it might devalue what they consider a holy union, while others called the concept sexist.
But a spokesman for the charity said the aim was to create a smoke-free family.
"The fact that people are discussing the campaign means we have fulfilled our goal of spreading the word about it," said Salem al-Majdali.
It is estimated about a quarter of Saudi Arabia's 27.6 million residents smoke.
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