If you’ve ever wondered “who invented vapes?”, you’re not alone.
The story of the e-cigarette is fascinating — a mix of early prototypes, personal tragedy, and a revolution in nicotine consumption.

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🔬 The Modern Vape: Hon Lik’s Breakthrough in 2003

So, who invented the vape as we know it today?
The answer is Hon Lik, a Chinese pharmacist and smoker who created the first commercially viable e-cigarette in 2003.

After losing his father to lung cancer, Hon wanted a safer alternative to traditional smoking. His early design used a piezoelectric ultrasound element to vaporize a nicotine solution — later replaced by the heated coil system still used in most vapes today.

In 2004, his employer Golden Dragon Holdings released the product in China under the name Ruyan (“like smoke”). The name perfectly captured its purpose — to mimic the smoking experience without combustion or tar.

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🧠 The Forgotten Pioneers Before Hon Lik

While Hon Lik is known as the father of modern vaping, the concept existed decades earlier.

Back in 1963, Herbert A. Gilbert patented a “smokeless non-tobacco cigarette.” His invention used heated flavored liquids to create vapor — remarkably similar to modern e-cigarettes.
However, due to poor battery technology and market resistance to alternatives, it never reached mass production.

Through the 1980s and 1990s, other inventors filed patents for aerosol nicotine delivery systems, but these prototypes were clunky, short-lived, and commercially unviable.

It wasn’t until Hon Lik combined efficient heating, compact batteries, and nicotine-based liquids that vaping became practical for consumers.

🌍 From Innovation to Global Phenomenon

Understanding who invented vapes is just the beginning.
The true impact lies in how that invention transformed smoking worldwide.

By 2006–2007, e-cigarettes reached Europe and the United States, sparking massive growth and innovation:

• Device evolution: From early “cig-a-like” models to vape pens, box mods, pods, and disposables.

• Technology breakthroughs: Nicotine salts, temperature control, and mesh coils all built on Hon Lik’s foundation.

• Cultural shifts: What began as a quit-smoking tool became a global lifestyle trend, driving debate among public health experts and regulators.

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🏁 The Lasting Legacy of Vape Invention

So, who truly invented the vape?
While Herbert Gilbert had the vision, it was Hon Lik who turned it into a reality — the first working, market-ready e-cigarette.

His story is a reminder that innovation often grows from personal motivation.
From a simple idea to a billion-dollar industry, the evolution of vaping continues to reshape how the world views nicotine.

Hon Lik’s mission — to offer adult smokers a less harmful alternative — remains the core legacy of his invention.