The Debate over True Inventor of E Cigarettes

There have been debates over who really invented the e cigarette for the last ten or fifteen years. Here are the issues being discussed.
• Herbert A. Gilbert invented a smokeless non-tobacco cigarette in 1963.
• He applied for a patent.
• He received his patent in 1965 for the smokeless non-tobacco cigarette.
• Hon Lik invented the electronic cigarette in 2002.
• He applied for a patent in China.
• He received his patent in 2003.

If you look at the two e cigarettes, you will see that they work in different ways.

Gilbert’s Design

Herbert A. Gilbert’s design used a battery to heat air. This air was sucked through a filter that had different flavors in it. It did not make anything that looked like smoke. It just made the person feel like he or she was smoking.

Lik’s Design

Hon Lik’s design uses a battery to change liquid nicotine into a mist or vapor that the user breathes in. It doesn’t use fire or make ashes. There is no smell like plain cigarettes. Scientists say that there is nothing in it that will hurt you. The nicotine comes in electronic cigarette liquid. You can buy e liquid anywhere you can buy electronic cigarette. E liquid comes in many different flavors. Hon’s e cigarette makes a vapor that looks like smoke. It is not smoke at all. It can be used in places where smoking is not allowed.

Hon Lik’s e cigarette uses an atomizer to create the mist. An atomizer is a small tool that changes liquid into a mist or vapor.

E Cigarettes may be Better for You than Regular Cigs

The people that make e cigarettes say they are better for you than cigarettes. Many people say that e cigarettes helped them cut down on smoking or quit completely. A help line for people trying to quit smoking asked people about using the e cigarette. They found that 21% of the people who used the e cigarette were able to quit smoking. The people said after they quit smoking other things smelled better. They said their food tasted better. They think the smoking was killing the sense of smell and taste.
There are lots of companies making the e cigarette now. The e cigarette comes in different sizes and shapes. Some are very large. Others are small and advertised for women. Some feel like a real cigarette. Others feel more like plastic.
There are two types of e cigarettes. One kind is the rechargeable one. It can be plugged into an electric outlet. You can buy a charger to plug in the car. The other type of e cigarette is a disposable. You throw it away when finished. Reports say that the disposables aren’t as good as the kind that has to be charged. They also cost more over the long run.

Herbert A. Gilbert invented the first smokeless non-tobacco cigarette in 1963 and received the patent in 1965. Hon Lik invented the first e cigarette in 2002 and received a patent in 2003. The cigarettes look alike but work in different ways. There is a lot of belief that Gilbert invented the first e cigarette and Hon improved it. Hon made it much more modern and enjoyable.