Corrections officers say they are experiencing an unexpected benefit from the smoking ban in Northern Territory jails.

They say inmates are concentrating more on smuggling tobacco rather than harder illicit substances in to prisons.

The Territory Government is claiming the smoking ban has been a success in the first six months, saying prisons are now a safer workplaces for officers.

Phil Tilbrook, a senior delegate for the United Voice union, which represents prison officers, says tobacco has replaced ice and marijuana as the drugs of choice to smuggle in to prisons.

"Tobacco has always been one of the major commodities in a prison but now that they are not allowed to smoke, they have to smuggle it in," he said.

"From our point of view, if a prisoner is concentrating on smuggling in tobacco other than ice or marijuana, that has got to be a good thing."

But Mr Tilbrook says there is also evidence of prisoner desperation and ingenuity in trying to satisfy their tobacco cravings.

He says there have been reports of inmates rolling up and smoking nicotine patches.

"We get some that are just smoking a patch straight out, plastic and all," he said.

"Others are using different methods like soaking it in water, which is extracting the nicotine out of the patches, and then soaking things like tea bags or tea leaves in there, drying it out and then smoking the tea leaves."