Have you ever wondered who invented the e-cigarette ? If you only rely on the internet, you’re probably wrong because there are a lot of scare stories out there. The real story dates back to 1960 and it’s not as bad and scary as the media makes it out to be.
An evil plot?
Anti -vaping groups and the journalists they work with often imply or say outright that e-cigarettes were invented by tobacco manufacturers to entice young people to smoke. Any discussion of flavored e-liquids repeats this argument. The truth is that tobacco companies have nothing to do with the creation of e-cigarettes , and they either ignore them or actively support banning them.
The truth is that e-cigarettes were invented by people who wanted to quit smoking, with the goal of reducing the number of people buying cigarettes. They had absolutely nothing to do with the plans of tobacco companies. If so, who invented e-cigarettes?
First steps
The first cigarette prototype was developed in the United States. In 1963, Herbert A Gilbert patented his “smokeless tobacco cigarette,” which was granted in 1965. Gilbert’s invention contained no nicotine, but produced a flavorful vapor that replaced cigarette smoke.
Gilbert actually only made a basic prototype of the device, which was never publicized or advertised. Doctors were just beginning to warn about the dangers of smoking; in 1963, 44 percent of American women and more than half of American men smoked. No one cared about health, so there was no demand for a safe alternative.
There were some technical difficulties. Gilbert’s design relied on battery power, but battery technology in the early 1960s was far behind the times. Rechargeable batteries were expensive and heavy, and small batteries were not cheap and had limited capacity. The first e-cigarettes required technology beyond what was known at the time, so Gilbert’s patent was shelved for nearly 40 years.
Breakthrough
In 2001, the invention was resurrected by Hon Lik, a pharmacist and expert in traditional Chinese medicine working in an agricultural research laboratory. His father had died of lung cancer, and Hon, a heavy smoker himself, decided it was time to kick the habit. Like many others, he had tried nicotine patches and found them to be of little help. Fortunately, Hon had the skills and resources to try something else.
Hon began experimenting with vaporization systems, trying several e-liquids to find one that could replicate the sensation of smoking. He eventually settled on PG, a solvent commonly used in food. It is non-toxic, has a pleasant aroma, and is a suitable solvent for nicotine and flavorings. Along with VG, PG has become the main ingredient in e-liquids.
While testing the e-juice, Hon used a large device built into the controller. The next step was to make it something that everyone could use. Hon had an advantage over Gilbert in that he could find affordable, high-capacity batteries. The lithium ion batteries used in phones, iPods, and laptops can power an e-cigarette for several hours.
Hon’s first design used a transmitter, which compressed the e-liquid into mist by high-intensity vibrations. He patented the design in 2003. However, when the first batch of products were released, they did not use a transmitter system. Instead, Hon used a atomizer and coil, based on the principle used by Gilbert. Most vapes later used this system because it could produce more vapor.
Current position
Hon Lik and Gilbert were the first to share the basic design of the modern vape device, and the rest is the creativity of today's vapers. For example, two British vapers, Umer and Tariq Sheikh, improved the three-piece design by combining the cartridge into a cartomizer. Two other British people, Matt and Ted Rogers, designed the first "Mod".
Since then, many new and improved designs have been released, some of which have remained niche, some of which have gone mainstream. The two inventors who created the designs and turned them into real products have created a solid foundation for future generations to build on, which is why modern vaping devices are so stable. And of course, they did everything themselves, without relying on the tobacco industry. So the next time you hear someone say that e-cigarettes are a Big Tobacco conspiracy, you can absolutely explain to them where they are wrong.
