I'm planning a trip to the ME soon, and in mentally preparing my pack list, I thought of cigarettes. I know in Europe cigarettes are pretty expensive, but in Turkey they're dirt cheap. What about Egypt, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan? Should I bring my own? I don't care about brands, I just can't afford $5 a pack or more. Also, I get the impression that women smoking is not an issue; true?
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I can't remember how much cigs were, but as a female smoker
in the ME, it is frowned upon if you walk and smoke!
I noticed in Lebanon that there seems to be no stigma on
women smoking in public. In Egypt women do not smoke in
public. In Egypt they are very cheap.
I didn't get any flack from locals by smoking, but I never
walked the streets with a fag hanging outta my mouth.
Unfortunately we don't get to see behind too many closed
doors, but reports to me are that women in the Middle East
smoke just as much as we do. They just do it at home,
because their social customs require them to be at home. I
had some great times sitting in cafes sharing smokes with
the local guys. One guy actually told me, over a shisha
pipe, that the female member sof his family smoke pipes in
their own homes. As with any activities, don't be too
blatant or outrageous. As to cost, local brands are really
cheap but hell on the throat.
Smokes are dirt cheap - just bring the ciggys you need for
the trip, then buy what you need when you get there.
As for smoking and walking - that and eating and walking are
frowned upon. If you are "ingesting", sit down or at least
stand still.
I didn't notice any "frowning" on my smoking, either.
In all the countries you mentioned except Israel, where
there is tax of something like 300%
Despite this tax, they are still way cheaper than in
Australia, where taxes are sky high.
There are no B&Hs or Stuyvs but there are Marlboros,
Parliaments (the good old recessed filter), Lucky Strikes,
Noblesse (the kibbutz cigarette), Nelsons, Camels and so on.
Absolutely no stigma on women smoking in Israel - anywhere,
anytime.
I often visit Cairo. I smoke and its fine, as long as you
are sitting ie cafe, restaurant, bar. They are cheap, ie
LE6 which is the equivalent of ú1.10 Sterling, for a pack of
20 Rothmans, Marlboro etc.
Forgot to tell you, try a shisha...or hubbly bubbly pipe or
whatever you like to call it. Shisha's are mild and
relaxing, again, women accepted smoking them in Cairo.
They're a fairly cosmopolitan lot, you know.
Get your own suply of cigarettes. They suck in the middle
east. They do have better but they are on the black market
and they are more expoensive. Have a great time. Jordan is
great.
No WAY! The Marlboros and the rest taste just the same as
anywhere else. There is NO problem buying "recognized
international brands".
Price for a pack of Marlboro (normally only brand available)
is around 50 Syú (about 1 US$). don't smoke the local brands
- they are ex-Russian product. Buy anywhere. Try nargileh
(waterpipe) with apple or cherry flavours... and have fun.
There is no stigma on women smoking in public in Lebanon at
all...except perhaps Beirut International Airport, where
smoking is completely banned since it is a smoke-free
facility (the only one in the country?)!