The History of Vaping

The history of vaping is a long journey that spans multiple eras, creators, and innovations. It began in ancient times and has continued evolving to the modern day. Along the way, there have been several misfires and stumbles before finally arriving at where we are today: a massive 27-billion-dollar global vaping industry that continues to grow.

In this blog, we'll trace that path from the early days through the twentieth century and all the way to the present. We'll look at some early ideas and prototypes that came before the vape technology we know so well.

Let's get started! 

Part 1: Ancient History

The Scythians  

What is now known as vaping began over 2,500 years ago in an area around the Black Sea spanning from Southern Russia down to Iran. There was once a civilization known as the Scythian Empire. The Scythians were a nomadic and warring culture of tribes who left behind a rich legacy of art, medicine, and equestrian prowess. They structured their society around a warrior aristocracy and practiced elaborate rituals, including the use of medicinal vapors. Records show that the Scythians gathered in yurts, threw cannabis seeds onto heated stones, and inhaled the produced vapor. They were indeed the first vapers!

Tobacco  

Many centuries later, Native Americans introduced the world to smoking tobacco with pipes. In the centuries that followed, this practice spread across the globe, evolving from pipes to cigars and cigarettes. But it was in the 20th century that innovators and dreamers would imagine a new way to smoke electronically. But as we'll see, that didn't happen overnight. 

The Hookah

About a thousand years after the Scythians and their hot stone vapors, a Mughal physician named Irfan Shiekh invented the water pipe to purify smoked tobacco. Over time, others further refined his invention into what is today known as the hookah. The hookah spread in popularity throughout the Middle East and the world. 

Part 2: 20th Century Innovations

The First Patent 

In 1927, an American named Joseph Robinson filed a patent for a new product called an Electronic vaporizer. The design aimed to help facilitate inhaling medical vapors without risking burns. Robinson's invention resembles the vapes we know and love today. He designed it to plug into the wall, as battery technology had yet to advance far enough by that point. There was a chamber for medical compounds, a heating coil, and a mouthpiece. If it walks like a vape and talks like a vape, it must be a vape! On paper, at least, this was the world's first electronic vape. However, Robinson never brought the product to market or even moved past the design stage, as there is no evidence that he produced a prototype. 

The Second Patent  

Fast forward to the 1960s when Herbert A. Gilbert, a scrap dealer in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, invented and patented an idea for a safe and harmless method of smoking he dubbed the Smokeless. He attempted to market and sell his idea, but market forces thwarted it, leading to its eventual failure. The market just wasn't ready for the vape just yet. 

The Name Vape  

Decades later, in 1986, the first genuinely smokeless cigarette was invented, patented, and developed by ex-NASA engineer and computer pioneer Jon Philip Ray. He created the Favor Smokeless Cigarette alongside his wife, Brenda Coffee. Favor cigarettes were not electronic and not a vape as we know it. They were nicotine-filled tubes that a user would draw on to get a hit of nicotine. Although Favor was only on the market for a limited time, they're notable for being the first product to use the terms vape and vapor. Brenda coined the term because Favor didn't create smoke. So, she referred to smoking a Favor Smokeless Cigarette as vaping.

Part 3: Vaping is Born

But then, in 1993, vaping finally arrived as we know it today when a Chinese pharmacist named Hon Lik created an electric device, an e-cigarette, to help him quit smoking. Lik's ingenious idea was a small, battery-powered device that atomized an oil into an aerosol or vapor. The vaporized oil could contain various substances for consistency and flavor, including nicotine, the primary stimulant found in tobacco. Lik's idea was that a smoker could take controlled hits of nicotine in smaller and smaller doses, eventually weening themself from their cigarette addiction. Without knowing it then, Lik had started a new industry by creating the modern e-cigarette/vape as we know it.

Lik patented his invention in China, the European Union, and the United States. His original e-cigarette design has the same essential components as current vapes, including a battery, airflow sensor, ultrasound vaporizer, and a replaceable nicotine oil cartridge. Lik's e-cigarette was inhale-activated and had a red light on the tip that glowed like a real cigarette when activated.

In the years that followed, vaping has, of course, taken off around the world. After adding nicotine, they added THC to vapes, creating a whole new facet of the vaping industry: cannabis vapes. Vapes have continued to grow in popularity and are now a billion-dollar industry. It was finally time; the world was ready for vapes. 

Part 4: iKrusher Arrives!

Then, in 2017, pioneering entrepreneur David Chen started iKrusher. An innovative American company with roots in China (the birthplace of the vape!) A vape manufacturer with its sites set on helping to expand the vaping technology and industry. With innovative products and technologies catering to the needs of the cannabis market, iKrusher quickly grew to become an industry leader. The company continues to grow and expand with new products, markets, and exciting tech. The future of vaping and cannabis looks brighter every day. And iKrusher will be there, leading the way.

In Closing

So, there you have it: a brief look at the history of vaping. What started as a small idea grew over millennia into the cloudy behemoth that is today's vaping industry. Who could have known that when the Scythians sprinkled cannabis seeds onto those hot stones, or Native Americans shared tobacco with the world, or when people invented the hookah, it would all lead to a small technological wonder we all enjoy? From the Scythians to iKrusher, the vaping industry is here and continues to grow and evolve. We hope you've learned something today and we'll see you next time in iKrusher's Vape 101.

Happy vaping!