The History of Vaping: From 1963 to the Present

The Complete History of Vaping: From 1963 to Today

Discover how vaping technology evolved from a simple idea to the sophisticated devices we know today

📅 Updated June 2024 | ⏱️ 8 min read | 🏷️ Vaping History

A few years ago, the first generation of e-cigarettes arrived in stores all over the world. It's impossible not to be impressed by the pace at which the vaping industry is evolving. In 10 years, the vaping industry has changed so drastically that most vapers would not recognize an e-cigarette from 10 years ago as a vaping device. That's how significant the changes have been.

There is a good chance that you already have a pretty high level of appreciation for the device you are holding in your hand if you are new to the vaping community and used e-cigarettes to quit smoking. If you were to learn about all of the technological milestones the vaping industry has had to reach to get you that device, you might appreciate it even more. That's the focus of this article.

Our discussion will cover the history of vaping from its beginnings and highlight some of the most important vaping technologies. Our history of vaping begins with the discovery that the idea of vaping is actually quite old.

🚀 Gilbert A. Gilbert Created the Original "Smokeless Cigarette" in 1963

Herbert A. Gilbert – a scrap metal business owner - created the first e-cigarette in his Pennsylvania workshop in 1963. He received a patent for his invention in 1965. Gilbert called his invention the Smokeless Non-Tobacco Cigarette, and he invented it for exactly the same reason that the modern e-cigarette exists today: to help people quit smoking.

It worked much like today's e-cigarettes, since Gilbert's smokeless cigarette contained no nicotine. A battery was used to heat flavoured water, which was then inhaled and exhaled like smoke. Gilbert created several flavours for his device, including cinnamon, rum and mint. In addition to helping smokers quit, he hoped that his invention would appeal to dieters who might like to inhale sweet flavours rather than eating them.

A tobacco company was not interested in producing a product that could help people quit smoking, so Gilbert was unable to find a company willing to produce his product. A safer product would be an admission that cigarettes were unsafe, something tobacco companies did not want to admit in the 1960s. Pharmacies did not care either. There is also a question of whether the battery technology available at the time would have powered Gilbert's device. Ultimately, the Smokeless Cigarette was a great idea that appeared just a bit too soon.

Key Features of Gilbert's Device:

  • Nicotine-free operation - focused purely on breaking the smoking habit
  • Multiple flavors - cinnamon, rum, and mint options available
  • Dual purpose design - targeted both smokers and dieters seeking sweet flavors
  • Battery-powered heating - the foundation of all modern vaping technology

⚠️ Why Gilbert's Revolutionary Invention Failed

Tobacco companies refused to produce a product that could help people quit smoking, as creating a "safer" alternative would be an admission that cigarettes were unsafe - something they weren't willing to acknowledge in the 1960s. Additionally, the battery technology of the era may not have been advanced enough to reliably power Gilbert's device. His brilliant concept was simply decades ahead of its time.

💨 The Flavour Cigarette Sparked the Creation of "Vaping"

The Favour cigarette was developed by J. Phillip Ray and Dr. Norman L. Jacobson in the late 1970s. It was not an electronic device. It was a plastic tube shaped like a cigarette that contained a tissue paper filter impregnated with liquid nicotine. Upon puffing, the nicotine is released into the airstream, which is then absorbed by the lungs. A single Favour cigarette would last about a day for an average smoker.

In today's article, Dr. Jacobson discusses the issues the company encountered when it came to storing the product; if it wasn't refrigerated, the nicotine would turn bitter. Nevertheless, the Favour cigarette has an important place in history because its creators invented the terms "vaping" and "vaper." Those terms are found in the original studies the creators of Favour conducted to prove that users of the cigarette actually absorbed nicotine from the device.

🏆 Historical Significance of the Favour Cigarette

  • First use of "vaping" terminology - The terms "vaping" and "vaper" were coined by the creators
  • Scientific validation - Original research studies proved nicotine absorption
  • Non-electronic design - Showed that vaping didn't require electronic components
  • Extended use duration - Single device lasted a full day for average smokers

⚠️ Commercial Challenges

Despite its innovation, the Favour cigarette faced significant storage and distribution challenges. The liquid nicotine would turn bitter without proper refrigeration, making it difficult to maintain product quality through traditional retail channels. This storage requirement limited its commercial viability and widespread adoption.

🔬 The Foundation for Modern Vaping

These early innovations laid the groundwork for the modern vaping industry. Gilbert's electronic heating concept and the Favour cigarette's terminology and nicotine delivery method became the foundation upon which today's sophisticated devices are built.

The technological milestones achieved by these pioneers - from battery-powered heating to controlled nicotine delivery - solved fundamental challenges that modern manufacturers continue to refine and improve upon.

Understanding this history helps us appreciate not just how far vaping technology has advanced, but also how the core principles established decades ago continue to guide innovation in the industry today.

🎯 Key Historical Milestones

1963 - First Patent

Herbert Gilbert patents the first electronic smokeless cigarette

1970s - Terminology

The terms "vaping" and "vaper" are officially coined

Modern Era

Advanced battery technology makes widespread adoption possible

Experience Decades of Innovation

From Gilbert's 1963 prototype to today's sophisticated devices, vaping technology has evolved tremendously. Discover how modern innovations build upon these historical foundations.

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