Early Concepts and Modern Invention
An early concept for a “smokeless non-tobacco cigarette” was patented in the United States by Herbert A. Gilbert in 1965, with the application submitted in 1963. However, this device did not achieve commercial success or widespread production.
The first modern electronic cigarette, as widely recognized today, was invented in 2003 by Hon Lik, a Chinese pharmacist. His patented design utilized a heating element to vaporize a liquid solution containing nicotine.
Market Introduction
Following its invention, the electronic cigarette was introduced to the market as follows:
- 2004: E-cigarettes were first marketed in China. This was through the company Golden Dragon Holdings (which later became Ruyan), founded by Hon Lik.
- 2006: The devices were introduced to the international market, with wider availability in Europe and the United States typically noted around 2006-2007.
It is also relevant to note that the term ‘vape’ was popularized in the late 1970s by Phil Ray and Norman Jacobson, although this was in relation to a different type of nicotine inhalation device that did not involve vaporization in the same way as modern e-cigarettes.
