The device, which retails at £39.99 for a starter pack, uses a small replaceable cartridge filled with a dose of nicotine. Users can choose between No nicotine, Low, medium or high nicotine, menthol, strawberry or cherry.

The makers of the product at The Electronic Cigarette Company say the vapour produced is odourless and contains no tar or carbon monoxide, resulting in no risk of passive smoking.

However the company say the E.cigs are just as addictive as the real thing.

I"ll buy all my friends one cauce they leave me sat on my own to go out for a cig,,but then i get chatting to people i never would if i was not sat on my own,,