Talk to just about any smoker, and they'll tell you that one of the hardest parts of quitting is the oral fixation. Almost as much as the nicotine itself, people become addicted to putting something in their mouths, rolling it between their fingers, and feeling its familiar shape. Freudian interpretations aside, it's a hard habit to break. This is why so many people gain weight when they quit -- Hostess cupcakes and french fries take the place of cigarettes.

So, why not create a cigarette that does all of the above -- and even delivers a dose of nicotine -- without all the carcinogens and pollutants of smokable tobacco?

That's apparently the question the creators of e-cigarettes asked themselves, and now some people are heralding the new invention as the answer we've all been looking for. And I do mean all of us -- even those of us who don't smoke.

E-cigarettes and e-cigars allow smokers to feel like they're having a smoke without creating a health hazard for their co-workers, co-diners, cohabitants, and anyone they might walk past on a sidewalk while feeding that monkey on their backs.

These electronic smokes look, taste, and behave like they're real -- except instead of smoke, they release odorless steam and do not burn. And while they contain nicotine, they might just help addicts wean themselves off the stuff for good.

[Image: ecigarettesusa.com]