JEDDAH: A high percentage of youngsters are becoming addicted to smoking cigarettes and rapidly shifting to dangerous forms of smoking like dokha, a traditional Arabic tobacco mixed with herbs, spices, dried flowers, and/or fruit that is consumed using a pipe called medwakh to get lightheaded.
Getting together and smoking has become a trend among youngsters. The definition of happiness and enjoyment has changed. Psychologist Sara Rahman commented that one of the basic reasons why smoking dokha is thriving among youngsters is because many of them consider smoking medwakh safer than smoking cigarettes and less injurious to health, which is not the case.
“This form of smoking recently gained popularity and very little research has been carried out to explore the potential harms of smoking medwakh. Many are not aware of its negative effects on health for which a proper awareness campaign is required. According to the research, dohka has high nicotine content containing up to five times as much as a normal cigarette,” she said.
Several youngsters addicted to smoking claim that they smoke just for pleasure or to fit into a certain group of friends, for image or to experiment, which slowly turns into an addiction by the time they reach their adulthood.
Since Saudi Arabia ranked fourth in the world in terms of tobacco sales, this problem is considered more urgent. As per Saudi Heart Association studies, approximately 30 percent of the population of Saudi Arabia smoke. It has been shown that the 17-40 year-old category smoke the most, but the speed at which this habit is spreading is amazing among high school and first-year university students.
Jazim H., a 25-year-old Saudi, used dohka for two years and left it when he developed health issues. “Dokha has become popular among youngsters because one gets high after a few puffs. Although it doesn’t have the same results like smoking weed or marijuana, the person smoking dokha gets dizzy or high for a few second and this is what attracts youngsters,” he said, adding, “I had become so used to it that I started to do it several times a day. There were times when I felt sick and nauseated. After a long period of times, I learned the harmful effects of dokha and stopped doing it.”
Harmful dokha smoking becomes the in thing
Harmful dokha smoking becomes the in thing
Where We Are Going Today: Zeila in Riyadh
- If you want an Instagrammable dish, check out the breakfast garden — multigrain sourdough topped with beetroot cream and a bed of avocados, edamame and peas, served with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce
As far as breakfast spots go, Riyadh’s main districts have some decent choices. But head east, and you will find a hidden gem in Al-Hamra you should not miss.
We recently discovered Zeila — somewhere that offers great food options without the wait times.
We started with the Croque Madame — a fried egg with hollandaise sauce atop toasted multigrain sourdough bread, served open-faced with smoked turkey, Emmental cheese, Dijon mustard cream and melted mozzarella. The well-balanced flavors come together smoothly without feeling too heavy for breakfast.
The shakshuka is another strong choice. This wholesome Zeila signature dish features confit bell peppers in olive oil, spicy cumin-tomato sauce, and comes topped with two poached eggs and coriander. It is served with multigrain sourdough.
If you want an Instagrammable dish, check out the breakfast garden — multigrain sourdough topped with beetroot cream and a bed of avocados, edamame and peas, served with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.
On the heartier side, the mouthwatering selection of egg dishes includes a ribs Benedict, carbonara croissant, and a black truffle Benedict.
We couldn’t leave our sweet tooth hanging, so we opted for the Russian pancakes for a sweet, yet not overly so, ending to the meal.
But there are more innovative dishes, such as the Om Ali, which is prepared with freshly toasted croissant slices soaked in a mixture of milk and cream, complemented with a selection of nuts and locally made fresh cream. There is also a creme brulee crepe, or banoffee French toast made with salted caramel and grilled banana, served with vanilla ice cream.
The service was great, though the plastic utensils provided were disappointing.
However, Zeila’s interior is what really makes the trip worthwhile. The space, warm with natural light from the high glass walls, is spacious yet retains a comfortable ambience.
Adorned with hammock swing chairs, cozy leather couches, an outdoor seating area and luscious plants, it’s a great place to explore this winter whether you’re looking for a full meal or a cup of coffee while you do some work.
