Also being an ex-smoker who still occasionally puffs a pipe or a cigar (I am not able to inhale either one, even if I wanted to), when I get a nicotine hit, it usually interferes with my normal functions for at least a few minutes, what I used to call a cigarette buzz back in the day when I would bomb a cigarette on a short work break or some such. In a survival situation, I would find that effect debtrimental. Aside from that, I find that tobacco use is generally counterproductive to the concept of survival, though it does have certain calming/comforting qualities in less critical conditions.

A far superior alternative stimulant would be Vitamin B complex, or even a high quality multivitamin. Many of the contemporary market stimulants are based at least in part on Vitamin B uptake, and include such metabolic enhancers as Argnine, Taurine, ginseng, etc. There may be some question as to the effectiveness of some of these constituents, not having entirely been reviewed/endorsed by the appropriate governmental agencies yet, but anecdotal evidence would suggest that most people who take these sort of things experience a consistent increase in performance, endurance, and general stimulation over an extended period. In my experience using these products, I would say they have a very mild yet noticable positive effect, something similar to a cup of strong coffee, but over a more gradual and longer period.

I would recommend nutrient stimulant over chemical stimulant any day of the week.