I agree with those of you who've suggested using nicotine replacements. I wouldn't suggest the gum, because it would end up on the floor or under the seats. Would there be a problem selling it, cos at the moment only chemists sell it?
Long term I think it should be offered for sale in the departure lounge, but we should carry a couple of packets of patches for use in the extreme cases, to "sedate" a hard case.
We had one the other night coming back from HER. The CS came into the flightdeck several times to tell us about a pax in row 1 who just wouldn't stop complaining about why she couldn't smoke. She (the pax) even said that since she would get a warning first, she'd go and have a smoke, then get the warning. The CS told her "This is your warning madam!"
A week earlier we had a pax smoking in the forward toilet and the alarm went off and we had the light come on in the cockpit.
Maybe we should offer these people a patch when they're starting to endanger the flight or annoy the cabin crew/other passengers.
No doubt there'd be medical/legal procedures to be looked into in our crazy world where the airline could be sued for causing an illness by offering a patch (the patches carry a warning I believe).
Everyone likes freedom - the trouble is that the whole airport scene is about herding people about like cattle. It's no wonder that the ones who lack self control get wound up, get nicotine withdrwal, get boozed-up and uninhibited, and then become our problem.
Any legal or medical experts like to comment on giving patches in extreme cases?