According to researchers at Duke University, nicotine is effective for treating attention deficit disorder. ADD appears to be a genetic phenomenon associated with altered functioning in the brain’s "right prefrontal cortex." This is the area responsible for maintaining attention and considering one’s thoughts prior to acting or speaking. The criteria for attention deficit disorder are located in this Website along with considerable medical information about the so called "disorder" - which I do not believe is actually a disease. ADD is discussed at length in the book Biological Unhappiness.

The significance of this finding is enormous because:

1) cigarettes are often the gateway drug to other drugs

2) nicotine is extremely addicting and causes many illnesses including cancer, whereas Ritalin is not addicting and prevents cancer

3) the child is showing that he/she perceives the need to medically adjust brain functioning

4) it may be extraordinarily difficult for this person to quit smoking in the future.