Homeless smoke 4 times more than general population

July 18, 2013 (WLS) -- Doctors say the nation's homeless need more access to smoking cessation programs.

The New England Journal of Medicine takes a look at the problem in its most recent issue.

Doctors say three-quarters of the homeless population smoke cigarettes.

That is four-times higher than the rate of the general population.

Lung cancer is the leading type of cancer death for the homeless.

Doctors say quitting smoking could help them get off the streets because buying cigarettes may keep them in a cycle of poverty.

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