Are there a lot of armed robberies committed by smokers in NYC because they can't afford cigarettes?
They might buy from bootleggers if they can't afford the fully-taxed cigs. That's a crime too, obviously, but somewhat less serious than armed robbery.
> Are there a lot of armed robberies committed by smokers in NYC because they can't afford cigarettes?
I can't really quantify "a lot" or whether the thieves were smokers that couldn't afford them, but it's clearly happening. Here are some armed robberies from 2020 in NYC that involved stealing cigarettes at gunpoint: [0][1][2]
> They might buy from bootleggers if they can't afford the fully-taxed cigs
I would guess this is the preferable option to robbing stores, but if you literally have no money, even bootleg cigarettes are off the table.
They might buy from bootleggers if they can't afford the fully-taxed cigs. That's a crime too, obviously, but somewhat less serious than armed robbery.