A U.S. company is selling a tobacco-based hand gel that contains nicotine and is being marketed to smokers who can't light up indoors.

The Daily Mail reported June 9 that NicoFix, available in retail stores and online, contains in each application about one-tenth of the tobacco found in cigarettes. "Whenever you cannot by law or by convenience smoke your favorite cigarette you can apply NicoFix and within a minute your craving for nicotine will be satisfied for anywhere from one to four hours," promotional materials for the product state.

The product is being introduced in the U.K. just as a new indoor-smoking ban is taking effect, sparking some controversy. Manufacturer Advanced Formulations acknowledges that NicoFix is highly addictive and won't help smokers quit.

"It is not a product to help people give up smoking. It is to help smokers get over the ban when it comes in next month," said company CEO Sean Campbell. "Whether they are stuck indoors at work and in need of a cigarette, or in a bar and unable to light up, NicoFix can come to the rescue. It will get them past the cravings. It is addictive, so it is not something that nonsmokers should try."

 "It is a negative that the makers of this product are promoting it as a way to beat the smoking ban," said Ann Widdecombe, a Conservative member of Parliament. "Sadly, there will always be alternatives to smoking which manage to beat the system."

"There are far safer medicinal nicotine products such as gum or patches that don't contain tobacco," added Elspeth Lee of Cancer Research UK. "We would urge smokers to use these if they are indoors and are having problems with nicotine cravings."