The issue raised in the article is about littering, not violent crimes. There are violent crimes in almost every minor to major city in the US. The issue at hand is that people thing throwing cigarette butts out the window isn't considered littering.

If you smoke cigarettes and can't deal with empty butts in your car and getting rid of them in a responsible way, then you shouldn't smoke cigarettes - like taking on anything, you take on the accommodating responsibilities. One of those is disposing butts the right way. Otherwise, pay the consequences.