An Interview with the Inventor of the Electronic Cigarette

[James]

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Hope this is of interest - I just finished interviewing Herbert A. Gilbert, who some consider to be the true inventor of the electronic cigarette. I've posted the interview here: http://www.ecigarettedirect.co.uk/a...w-inventor-e-cigarette-herbert-a-gilbert.html Hope you find it interesting!

 

[tppp]

The way I understand it Herbert patented the idea of a smokless non-tobacco cigarette in 1963 but that it only gave "moist flavoured air" (no nicotine and no vapour) and ultimately it failed when it went to market.

Fast forward a bit and Chinese Pharmacist Hon Lik patents a nicotine based electronic cigarette in 2003 that produces vapour, he goes into production in 2004 and then 9 years later here we are.

 

[James]

I think you could argue it either way but Herbert obviously believes his is the original one:

JD: Do you see Ruyan e-cigarette invented by Hon Lik as an evolution of the one you designed, or a product that took a completely different direction?
HG: If it walks like a duck, has web feet, has a bill, swims in the water, looks like a duck and quacks….its a duck.