Who really invented vape?

by Kaylin

Though it’s a common belief that tobacco companies invented e-cigs to get young people addicted to nicotine, it simply isn’t true. E-cigs were invented for the opposite reason, to get people to quit smoking rather than start, and the story of the e-cigs’s development starts right here in America in the early 1960’s. Yup, they’re much older than you think.

In 1963 a man named Herbert A. Gilbert applied for a patent on the first e-cig because he thought it was gross to inhale smoke.  He was convinced there must be a better way to do it, and he found it with vapor. After the patent was granted in 1965 Herbert tried to sell a manufacturer on his invention but there just wasn’t any commercial interest. Doctors were only just starting to realize the negative health effects of cigarettes and America wasn’t ready to take that leap just yet. Also, like many other inventors, he ran into the trouble of just being too ahead of his time. Technology wasn’t quite advanced enough at this point to create a practical adaptation of the e-cig like we have today. So, back to the drawing board he went, and it wasn’t until 40 years later that the idea was really developed.

In 2004 a man named Hon Lik, a pharmacist and traditional Chinese medicine expert, released the first commercial e-cig to the public. After his father died of lung cancer he realized he needed to kick his own bad habit of smoking. After much trial and error found a great alternative. His first e-cig consisted of an ultrasonic atomizer, a battery, and a plastic cartridge filled with nicotine suspended in propylene glycol. He found propylene glycol, a popular food additive, to be the best substitute to cigarette smoke. He was right because it’s still one of the main ingredients used in e-juice today.

The modern e-cigarette is a far stretch from both Herbert and Hon’s designs, but they are both equally credited with the invention. Many improvements have been made over the years resulting in the excellent equipment we have today. But believe it or not, they all follow the same basic principle of Herbert’s designs. The main difference is that the market now has a variety of styles to accommodate everyone’s desired vaping needs. Come in this week to find yours and enjoy great savings on our festive flavor, Snowman’s Kiss! With a fresh blend of peppermint and menthol this e-juice will leave nothing to be desired. Add it to any of our other succulent flavors for great savings!