Craving cigarettes without ever smoking?

im 18 and for the past few months i have been craving cigarettes like crazy. its almost like i cant stop thinking about it but i have never smoked a cigarette in my life. i dont have any family members in my household that smoke either. what triggers my craving is when people smoke around me. at school there is a corner on the campus designated for smoking. i have to walk through that area to get to one class to another. i never heard about having a craving for a cigarette without ever trying one first. can someone explain to me the reason for this? :( and what should i do? i am almost ready to purchase an electronic cigarette because i heard it is healthier for you than a regular cigarette.