People Experiencing Homelessness

Smoking Prevalence

• A national survey conducted in 2009 found that 57% of US adults with any history of homelessness smoked cigarettes.[i]
• Data collected from 2004-2009 showed that 80% of chronically homeless adults reported currently smoking cigarettes.[ii]
• Some individuals experiencing homelessness describe smoking initiation while residing in a homeless shelter, where there might be limited access and care, unstructured schedules, fewer stress coping outlets, and a high social value on smoking.[iii]

Smoking Cessation

• Based on the results of a national 2009 survey, 84% of currently homeless, 89% of formerly homeless, and 82% of never homeless smokers reported wanting to quit.
• Data from 2004-2009 shows that 48% of chronically homeless adults who smoke reported trying to limit their smoking and 75% of those who smoke had discussed smoking with a health care professional.

Health Effects

• Much of the homeless population suffers from medical conditions as a result of exposure to cold weather, poor nutrition and hygiene, and risky behaviors. Smoking exacerbates many of these conditions.[iv]
• Homeless individuals who smoke are more likely to smoke discarded cigarette butts or share cigarettes to save money. These behaviors put them at greater risk for infectious diseases, cancer, respiratory illness, and cardiovascular disease.
• Among individuals living with homelessness, the primary causes of death and disability are tobacco-related chronic diseases; cancer and cardiovascular disease are the primary forms of morbidity among this population, and obstructive lung disease is more than twice as high in those experiencing homelessness as in the general population.[v]

Marketing from the Tobacco Industry

• In 1994, Phillip Morris (under the brand name Merit) donated 7,000 blankets to homeless shelters in Brooklyn, in order to “generate media coverage.”[vi]
• RJ Reynolds directly targeted the homeless as part of an urban marketing plan in the 1990s, focused on the advertising of “value” brands to “street people.”[vii]
• In 1995, RJ Reynolds developed a marketing plan aimed at the homeless and LGBTQ+, titled “SCUM: Sub Culture Urban Marketing.”[viii]

Resource Links

• Underserved & Overlooked: Tobacco Addiction Among the Homeless Population (Public Health Law Center)
• Tobacco Use Among the Homeless Population: Frequently Asked Questions (Public Health Law Center)