Have any of you had any success with Electronic Cigarettes?

I’ve cut down my bad habit quite substantially over the past few months. My downfall is when I go for a drink with my friends, (who all smoke) and alcohol makes me crave a ciggerette more.

I’ve been looking at electronic cigarettes online, and saw some what look quite good. They have a clear base so you can see how much ‘eliquid’ is left in them, and are said to produce a lot of vapour and provide a satisfying smoke.

My plan would be to use this exclusively and take it to the pub with me also. Then gradually decrease the strength of the nicotine content until nil. Then I would be free!

I’ve tried many methods of quitting, and none have been sucessful.

If you have tried electronic cigarettes, how did you find them?
Was it enough to keep you from going back to normal cigarettes?
More importantly, did they help you quit altogether?