A video released by Middle East based influencer Jasim Ahmed has caused widespread anger across the cigar world. In it, he delivers a monologue criticising women that smoke cigars, claiming many do so purely “for attention.” The tone, delivery, and message have been condemned as sexist and condescending, sparking backlash from the community.

The reaction has been especially fierce within women led cigar circles, who viewed Ahmed’s comments as both regressive and hypocritical. In an industry that has worked hard to make space for women enthusiasts, his remarks were seen as a step backwards, an echo of a time when cigar culture was defined by exclusion rather than appreciation.

What He Said

https://youtu.be/CQ4xoPTAnXI?si=0GL2thexhtrCbO92

Ahmed speaks as if he is the arbiter of who may belong in cigar culture and on what terms. He says “a lot of women today are using cigars just to get attention,” accuses them of caring more about “the photo, the pose, and the attention that comes with it” than aroma or craftsmanship, and claims “half the time they are not even focused on the cigar,” citing “the lighting” and “the cut” as proof. He declares this is “not cigar culture” but “clickbait with smoke,” then instructs women to “change” and to seek “respect, not attention.” In the same breath he elevates women who “understand what they’re holding,” the cut, the burn, and the aroma as “sexy,” “elegant,” and “powerful,” while dismissing those who “show a bit of skin,” positioning himself to certify authenticity and elegance.

That authority claim extends to permission. He adds “Men are visual creatures,” presents this as an inevitability, and then asks men whether they would date or marry a woman who smokes cigars, suggesting many hesitate. The implication is that women’s participation requires male approval and must meet his threshold of decorum to count. By drawing a hard line between the women he deems authentic and those he does not, he polices entry, sets himself up as the standard setter, and treats style as a litmus test for legitimacy rather than acknowledging that presentation and knowledge can coexist.

Update: The video has now been removed, however below is the full transcript:
Women and cigars. Let’s be honest, a lot of women today are using cigars just to get attention. They don’t care about the aroma, the flavor, or the story behind every cigar. They just want the photo, the pose, and the attention that comes with it. Half of the time, they are not even focused on the cigar. The lighting is wrong, the cut is awful. The only thing they focus on is showing a little bit of skin. And let’s face it, men are visual creatures. You show a bit of skin, hold a cigar, and boom, the likes start to roll in. And that’s not cigar culture. That’s clickbait with smoke. And me personally, I’m against it, loud and clear.

Now, when a woman really smokes a cigar, when she understands what she’s holding, appreciates the craftsmanship, the cut, the burn, the aroma, that’s different. That’s sexy. That’s elegant. That’s powerful. Because she’s not performing. She’s part of the lifestyle. And trust me, every real cigar aficionado notices that. It’s magnetic.

Now, here’s my question to the men out there. Would you actually be with a woman who smokes a cigar? Most men love seeing it, but when it comes to marriage or even a serious relationship, they hesitate. For some, cigars are still seen as a man’s thing. You know what I mean? So what do you think? Would you want your woman, your partner, your wife to enjoy a cigar with you? Or would you keep that lifestyle just for your cigar buddies?

And to the ladies, if you are one of those using cigars just as a prop, change. Believe me, men love women who are classy, elegant, and who appreciate a good cigar. Don’t get fooled by the likes or the views. That doesn’t mean they respect you. They see your body, not your passion. They see a fantasy, not a cigar love. Earn respect, not attention.

Outrage and Outdated Stereotypes

Ahmed’s video overlays his monologue with clips of real women from the cigar community. Several individuals have said they were never contacted for permission to use their likeness. One of the first shown is Amy from the UK, a core member of the UK Cigar Aficionadas, a group dedicated to supporting and empowering women in the cigar world. The placement of her clip early in the video, precisely as he begins his rant about women who “just want the photo,” has been described as misleading and disrespectful. For viewers who know her work, the context feels manipulative, implying that she and others like her fit his caricature when, in reality, they represent the opposite.

Beyond questions of taste, this raises serious ethical and legal concerns. Using identifiable footage of individuals without their consent in a monetised or branded context is, at best, risky. Commentary can fall under fair dealing or fair use, but factors such as transformation, purpose, and effect matter; the way the footage is edited and framed makes that defence look weak. Ethically, it undermines the credibility that influencers depend on. The video was briefly unavailable before reappearing. Ahmed then confirmed he has archived the video on Instagram and will leave it up on his YouTube channel for “educational” purposes.

Cigar culture has evolved. Women are not peripheral participants; they are hosts, writers, reviewers, retailers, and brand representatives. Communities like the UK Cigar Aficionadas have helped make lounges more inclusive, and their response reflected how seriously the issue was taken. In a statement, the group said that comments suggesting women smoke cigars “as an act of seeking attention” reflect “outdated stereotypes that have no place in a modern and inclusive society.” They also note that over 60 per cent of the cigar industry’s global workforce are women, working in cultivation, production, blending, and craftsmanship. “Respecting women means respecting their choices… Every woman has the right to enjoy cigars without judgement, assumption, or limitation.”

That context exposes the hypocrisy at the centre of Ahmed’s argument. Women have long shaped the industry from the ground up, while many male influencers use the same image-driven tactics he condemns. His failure to recognise that his own aesthetic relies on the very performance he criticises only highlights how shallow and selective the argument is.

The Hypocrisy

Ahmed is known for his flamboyant presentation: bright floral suits and heavily stylised imagery. That aesthetic drive built his following, yet it also makes his critique of attention seeking ring hollow. His content is not discreet or understated. It is loud, uncouth, and frequently obnoxious, even as he speaks the language of elegance and protection. He positions himself as a guardian of decorum, yet the aesthetic he champions is the opposite of refined. The gap between what he preaches and what he produces is the issue.

It is difficult to take seriously the moral outrage of a man who has previously filmed himself, smouldering into the camera, bare-chested in a bathtub. Showing a little bit of skin for attention seems to be one of Ahmed’s strategies too. At best, this is blind irony; at worst, it is hypocrisy. When someone who thrives on image-based validation begins policing others for the same, the argument collapses. He talks of elegance, yet the styling, staging and volume of his output suggest a superficial view of luxury that mistakes spectacle for taste. The effect is not authority; it is the theatrical endeavour of a mascot.

Ahmed has said in past videos that some peers have called him a “clown.” Rather than learning from that perception, this latest controversy reinforces it. His approach to influence is entirely about self-promotion, which is fine if he stays within that lane. The problem arises when the purveyor of gauche turns preacher of elegance.

Our view

At its core, this is not a debate about cigars; it is about respect. Women do not need validation from self appointed arbiters of authenticity, least of all from those who mirror the very behaviour they condemn. Ahmed’s video might have aimed to start a conversation, but its tone, message, and execution achieved the opposite, alienation.

The contradiction is plain. He speaks the language of elegance and protection while cultivating an image led persona that sits in opposition. When someone who trades in spectacle tells others that seeking attention disqualifies them, the standard collapses under its own weight. In places, his content films women at close range in public settings, a style that could be described as “voyeuristic.” You cannot claim to protect women while packaging them as props.

At best, the video was misinformed and in poor taste. More realistically, it was childish, arrogant, and emblematic of a shallow view of cigar culture, one that values performance over principle.

Cigar culture has always been about appreciation, not exclusion. Ahmed’s words did nothing to honour that.