Heh, when I was living in Calgary I had a big bag of change I wanted to get rid of (I couldn't be bothered rolling all my pennies/nickles/dimes, and I was moving and didn't want to pack them), so I offered them to a homeless guy. He said something like, "Well, I was hoping for smokes, but that'll do".
I sort of have mixed feelings about that, though. If I give money to a homeless person, they'll probably use it to by alcohol/cigarettes/drugs, but does that really matter? I mean, if it gives them a little pleasure in their crappy lives, then maybe it isn't so bad, but if it's the reason their life sucks, then you aren't doing them any good.
*shrug* dunno. I'd rather give money to a beggar who's smoking than one who's drunk.