My dearest friend was a smoker. Not a problem (finacially) for most of her life as she was in a professional job. But in her 50s she was twice made redundant and each time took over a year to get back into employment. Normally a very strong minded and determined person she struggled to give up smoking, but never got down to less than 5 a day, and even those were roll-ups. The body chemistry of most addicts changes to accommodate their vice and, as you say Phoenix, when you have other problems to deal with, smoking can be one's one consolation.
When she was 64 she had a niggling pain in her back, went to the doctor and by the end of the day was in hospital diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. She died two weeks later.