Abstract: With the article, smoking is simulated by inhalation of nicotine without the action of heat. A carrier device (14), for example, a packing of spheres (20), for a nicotine preparation capable of volatilizing at room temperature is incorporated in a container (10) with air inlet (11) and air outlet (12). The carrier device (14) forms a plurality of uninterrupted flow channels (21). The nicotine preparation (e.g., pure nicotine) is applied on the free and nonabsorbent surface of the carrier as a thin layer (22) leaving the channels (21) open. Glass of other sufficiently impervious, inert materials, metals or metal alloys, such as aluminum, dense or glazed ceramics, or especially dense plastics such as polytetrafluoroethylene or polybutyleneterephthalate come into consideration as the material for the carrier device (14). Various shapes of carrier devices are described.