Does cigarette smoking cause poverty or are poor people just more susceptible to nicotine and other addictions

A friend of mine owns a convenient store which sells cigarettes at high volume, high discount prices. Most, but certainly not all, appear to be from lower socio-economic backgrounds,i.e. beater cars, lots of drunkenness, shabby clothing, etc. A great many appear also to be undernourished, but they have no qualms about forking over $4 plus for packs of Marlboros, Newports, Camels, among others. That money looks like it would be better spent on dental care or food for their children but they seem to be enslaved to the premium priced cigarettes; most don't even try to save by buying off brands or whatever he might have on sale. Am I missing something?
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It could be that your buddy owns a convenience store in a bad neighborhood...Here is an easy way to find out. The next time your mom and sister go to work on the corner...have your sister count the newer cars, and your mom count the older ones...(i'm talking about the cars buying cigarettes, not the cars stopping by for some nook) By the end of the day you should have your answer, assuming your mom and sister can count past 11... Quit asking stupid questions if you dont' want stupid answers....I could say the same thing about upper class people also...here are a few... Does driving a Hummer and paying 4 dollars for a gallon of gas that only takes you 6 miles just a sign that the rich are more susceptible to wasting their money on trying to overcompensate for their small cranks ???? Are rich parents who give their kids credit cards and let them get 10,000$ in debt before their 18th birthday just a sign that daddy probably feels guilty for touching them once ?? Its all in how you look at it....unfortunatly you chose to look at it the wrong way. Wait...you're a republican aren't you...just a guess.
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