Lets take it further..

Why would ANYONE getting assistance from government be allowed to smoke at all?

Or drink a cola? or coffee?

In fact, the nature of public assistance is so disconnected from actual need in so many cases, to call general assistance a general failure.  Really, given the cost of cigarettes, and even the roll your own type which got a HUGE hit thanks to Jennie two penny with new bag tobacco taxes, it seems there shouldn't be anyone who has the RIGHT to smoke and spend money that might otherwise be spent taking care of themselves.

Should those smoking poor live in the subsidized living environments?  If they can do so, then of course!  But there really has to be a reality check here.

And I'm not trying to beat up on just these folks who find themselves in this type of situation either.  Anyone who has a bridge card and smokes a pack a day is getting about $5 a day in unnecessary entitlements in my opinion.