Many bars across the UK are now allowing customers to puff away on e cigarettes or electronic cigarettes' which are being imported by many companies for sales online through some main stream web sites, department stores, or even in the bars themselves.

It is claimed they do not contain any carcinogenic substances or lead to passive smoking but give a similar satisfaction to standard cigarettes, which are now illegal to smoke in public places.

They are not exactly the same as a cigarette but it's as close as you can get and helps cut you back. If you go out and smoke a cigarette you smoke the whole cigarette. With these, the potential to take it out, have two puffs and put it back in your pocket is more likely.

The electric cigarette only works when you puff on them and the three-part cigarette consists of a chargeable battery, an atomiser that converts the fluid into vapour, and a cartridge, which can contain full strength, medium light or no nicotine. Each one has around 350 puffs and is equivalent to about 30 cigarettes.

It is common knowledge that normal cigarettes are made of 4,000 substances, 69 of which are carcinogenic. E-cigarettes have just nicotine, glycol, which is commonly used in food, and tobacco flavouring. The smoker absorbs the nicotine and releases a vapour, which smells slightly coming from the non-nicotine products.

It is not considered to be healthy, and users should be under no illusion of this as the nicotine is still a poison. However, be rest assured it's healthier than a cigarette.

The device has been launched in China, Israel and Australia, and has been introduced in to the UK over the last few years for a relatively small amount of money compared to normal smoking.

Many-converted smokers have now tested this product and have commented on the device being quite heavy. This is soon to be changed with the pending release of the newer and smaller digital e cigarette. Many users have noticed it provides help with your cravings.

A spokeswoman for Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) said: "They don't produce smoke in the conventional way and therefore don't pose the same degree of hazard to non-smokers.

They are not 100 percent safe for smokers themselves as they are still inhaling nicotine, but they are almost certainly putting themselves at less risk. More research is needed to be clearer on their effect.

There are many responsible companies selling e cigarettes that have there products tested under EU directives.

Some E cigarettes have nicotine infused in to the vapors thus giving the smoker there nicotine fix much in the same way as patches, gum and inhalators do.

This is a simple product which does not contain the carcinogens and dangerous chemicals that are present in a cigarette. The product contains glycol propylene, flavoring and if required nicotine. Many people smoke with zero nicotine content and have completely given up smoking.

If you are worried about Glycol Propylene stop eating biscuits or using lip stick as this is present in most of these products and has been considered safe to use for years.