The future of e-cigarettes at the moment can be summed up in two words, uncertain.
New legislation has been introduced in Europe and the US, which is posing a certain threat to the e-cigarette industry. Meanwhile, research on the health and public health impacts of e-cigarettes is increasing, raising questions about whether e-cigarette use is a pathway to traditional cigarette smoking among young people and how to minimize the risks for vapers who use e-cigarettes to quit smoking.
Public health experts are divided, vapers are becoming political activists, and Big Tobacco continues to meddle in vaping with less-than-ideal intentions.
Pharmacist Hon Lik
We’ve come a long way since 2003, when the first e-cigarettes were patented in China by Hon Lik, a pharmacist trying to quit smoking. Sometimes, when we feel uncertain about the future, it’s helpful to look back at the path we’ve taken. So late one night, I went to Beijing to meet Lik. Through a translator provided by his assistant, we had a short interview about what Hon Lik thinks about the future of the industry he helped create. (Lik serves as an advisor to Fontem Ventures, the parent company of Blu e-cigarettes and Imperial Brands tobacco.)
Motherboard: Thanks for taking the time to do this interview. First, can you tell me about your journey in inventing the e-cigarette?
Hon Lik: It's quite a long story, but I can summarize it. I started smoking when I was eighteen. At that time, I was working in a rural area and I used cigarettes because the work was very hard and I had to live far away from my parents and family. Life like that was very lonely, so cigarettes became my good friend.
Later, I also returned to the city to take the university entrance exam and study to become a pharmacist. My work increased, and so did the amount of cigarettes I smoked every day. I knew very well how cigarettes affected my health, so after a while, I thought, “Since I am a pharmacist, I can use my knowledge to create something to help me quit smoking.”
I had seen nicotine patches and tried them for a while, but they didn’t help much. This was the moment I decided to use my knowledge to create a more effective alternative.
And is that when you created the e-cigarette?
I officially started developing this device in 2002. As a pharmacist, I understood that nicotine delivery through a patch is different from smoking. The patch delivers nicotine through the skin to the bloodstream in a steady stream, and it stays that way for a long time. When you light a cigarette and inhale the nicotine, it quickly enters the lungs and enters the bloodstream, creating a very quick feeling of satisfaction. Based on that, I started looking for the best way to mimic the feeling of smoking.
But, I understand this, it doesn't mean I can easily find a suitable solution.
At that time, it was not easy to find information and materials, and I experienced many failures. Every day when I woke up, I had a new idea for improving materials or equipment. Every week, I created an improved product from an old model. In 2003, I registered a patent for electronic cigarettes in China, the United States, and Europe.
Did you know there would be a market for this product?
After launching the product in China, it created a big buzz. I received a lot of positive reactions and comments from consumers. This is what drove the success in Europe. I realized that I had achieved my dream, not only helping myself quit smoking, but also benefiting billions of people to change their lives. I am sure that this is not only my dream, it is also beneficial to public health.
But did you ever think it would get this big?
To tell the truth, I believed that this invention would be a huge success, and this belief was what drove me through the long period of creation and development.
I know you quit smoking. Do you still vape ?
I usually only use e-cigarettes, but as an inventor, and also for new ideas, I can't lose the feeling of tobacco. Sometimes I find new tobacco products in terms of genre or flavor, I will buy a pack, try a few cigarettes so that the feeling is not completely lost.
What do you think about the variety of essential oils on the market? For example, sweet and fruit flavors?
As for the specific example you gave of fruit and candy flavors, I have certainly tried them. However, as a former smoker, I don’t really like these flavors because I am used to the taste of cigarettes. I understand that most e-cigarette users are former smokers, so they don’t really like these sweet flavors.
In fact, such flavored products are very popular in the US, even among ex-smokers. They tell me that they help them stay away from cigarettes altogether.
Thanks for letting me know. I see. I think it’s because Americans consume more confectionery products than Chinese. That might be the answer to this phenomenon.
This seems about right. Speaking of America, what do you think about the new bill we are facing?
You probably mean the bills that are being considered. On the positive side, this will increase confidence in this type of product, as well as improve manufacturing standards. However, I also have a feeling that this bill will also put a lot of restrictions on product innovation and creativity, which is a negative side.
But I also believe that the terms of the bill will change, because legal regulations have more or less not kept up with the advances in the consumer market.
There are many companies that are concerned that this bill will negatively affect them.
At the moment, if she mentions Blu (one of the brands of the company where Lik works), it is in a very good position in this new bill. There are already many brands in the market, but just flashy packaging does not solve anything. The important thing about a product is its quality and safety.
If given the choice, as a pharmacist and a former smoker, I would still recommend a closed system product (like a real cigarette). Not only is it my intellectual property, but importantly, this is a product that people take orally and inhale, so safety is important.
So what do you think about the growing DIY industry?
Because consumers do not fully understand the scientific perspective or basic standards of assembly, there will definitely be risks. I know there are some people in this market who are doing this, I advise everyone not to do this.
Thank you. Is there anything else you would like to add?
I want to add one more thing: In the beginning, e-cigarettes received a lot of attention because it was a new idea and the potential it brought to the market – the potential of an alternative and less harmful product than traditional cigarettes.
I'm glad about that. And it's normal to have concerns, or to discuss new technologies, equipment standards, and safety.
However, it seems that the world media sometimes focuses more on sensational news than on understanding this new product and its uses. The discussion I want to have is how to improve existing technologies, improve standards, reduce risks and improve products. I want to raise awareness so that billions of consumers can benefit from this product.
