Ban on cigarette sales ignored

Shops in the Saudi Arabian city of Makkah (Mecca) are selling tobacco products despite a ban by local authorities, according to a story in the Saudi Gazette quoting local residents.

In fact, residents said more than 80 percent of shops in the city’s Al-Otaibiyah neighborhood sold cigarettes.

The residents said that the ban was not being monitored by the local authorities but a source at the Makkah municipality denied this.

He asked residents to inform the municipality of any shops that were violating the ban.