In the beginning, (this is my third play though) I noticed a pack of cigarettes on a table. When selected my character responds, "I wonder who these belong too?" (or something similar).

Indeed, I wonder too.

Alternatively, your wife may have taken up smoking due to the imminent threat of nuclear war.

She could have maybe needed the 1 Cloth to make a blanket for Shaun too.

The doorbell rings. She says, "it's probably that salesman, he comes for you everyday".

Yeah, I bet he does.

This, coincidentally, is why my character has a harem.

Issues with commitment and all that.

I dumbed the wedding ring to make room for a backpack. So forget that ho. She's dead to me now.

Man, you have issues with women smoking.

Now, I don't live in America, so I could be mistaken, but the sheer amounts of smokes in this game is staggering. 200+ years after civilisation ends and packs of cigarettes all over the place. Underground bunkers, probably strict air controls in place, 90% of the inhabitants smokers, makes sense. Institute, all scientists and doctors, living underground, limited access to outside resources, every living quarters, cigarettes and ashtrays everywhere. Does the entire population of Boston smoke?

Well, it's the pseudo-1950s and every single American of advlt age and most teenagers smoked around then.

Those who weren't smokers were given cigarettes as part of their rations during WW2 and it was after the big marketing push toward women.

Given you're more likely to die of radiation sickness than cancer, I think everyone should be smoking AND drunk all the time.

If you play female, she says the same thing.

It's like Mad Men. Everyone was sleeping around!

The number of smokes in the game may be a bit over-the-top compared to reality, but the number of guns is spot on.