nicotene helps prevent parkinsons and alzheimers but on the upside nicotene 'replacement therapy' is becoming rather fashionable these days and it available OTC in service stations and the like (in aussie anyway). it might even be fair to say that nicotene 'replacement therapy' are the new cigarettes and i'm fairly sure the next generation will probably take up that for mental alertness and the like and just bypass the nasty smoking / chewing kinda thing. i don't see age restrictions on the sales of the nicotene gum that is advertised on the front counter right alongside the regular gum either. just a huge price differential ;-)