The e-cigarette from Thanko plugs into your computer's USB port and offers puffers a genuine smoking experience... without all the nicotine, tar, ashes, smell and, er, smoke.



The busy bees over at TokyoMango are in the habit of finding new and interesting Japanese stuff so it's no surprise they're featuring the amusing and addictive USB Cigarette. Made by Japan's Thanko, the so-called "e-cigarette" comes about as close to approximating the experience of smoking as one can get without actually lighting up. Actually, the e-cig DOES light up - via a tiny red LED embedded in its tip.



The USB cigarette is not a toy though it's not a real cigarette either. It might even have a practical purpose: many ex-smokers miss more than the buzz of the nicotine; the physical mechanics of smoking itself are said to be habit forming. With the e-cigarette you get the look, the feel, even the sight of "smoke" being exhaled with every puff!









Here's how it works... the "cigarette" comes in 3 parts: a filter, a sprayer and a body with a rechargeable battery inside and an LED on its end. Use the included cable to plug the cigarette into your computer's USB port - it takes 2-3 hours for a full charge. Unplug, inhale and enjoy! The sprayer/filter combo provides enough "mist" for about 150 draws and you get 11 filters (a pack of 10 plus 1 additional) with each order. You can also buy replacement packs of 10 filters in regular or mint flavor.



The complete package costs 2,980 yen (about $31) and the extra filter packs are 980 yen (about $10) each, available direct from Thanko's product page. Wacky tabbacky was never so much fun! Well, almost.

EDITOR'S NOTE: These Fake Cigarettes are not nearly as realistic as the LED Cigarette but easily obtainable in the U.S.