The pharmacist who invented the electronic cigarette: Hon Lik

The modern e-cigarettes invented by Hon Lik were introduced to the Chinese market in May 2004 and attracted great interest. The holding company, Golden Dragon, where Hon Lik works, changed its name to Ruyan (“Ruyan” means “Like smoking” in Chinese), and started exporting e-cigarettes in 2005, with electronic cigarettes making a big splash. Ruyan received his first international patent in 2007.

The Electronic cigarette is a product that has spread all over the world from China as of 2004. However, China is not the country that finds the first electronic cigarette, it is the country that introduces it to the market and puts it on the market. You will be very surprised when you read the history of electronic cigarettes, which is quite old.

Electronic Cigarette History

Electronic cigarette, patented by Herbert A. Gilbert in 1967, is a product created to eliminate the harmful effects of smoking. In the 1960s, America was far ahead in cigarette consumption. Although the effects of cigarettes and tobacco products on the human body are known, their benefits have been mentioned by many broadcasting organizations.

Han Li or Hon Lik is a Chinese pharmacist who invented the modern electronic cigarette. Hon Lik was born in Shenyang, China in 1956. He started smoking at age 18. He attended Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and graduated with a pharmaceutical degree. He joined the Liaoning Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1982.

Entrepreneurs; Considering that it is a serious consumer of cigarettes, they have started working to eliminate only the harmful effects of cigarettes. The important thing was to provide the pleasure of regular cigarettes to consumers. In 1963, Herbert A. Gilbert developed the first electronic cigarette prototype. The patented product, on the other hand, does not have the same features as the product used today. Its design and content were completely different. The product, which is difficult to use, was patented in 1967 and started to be used.

However, it was not that easy to use and made it difficult for the period to charge technological devices. Although the project was shelved, it was almost reborn in 2004. The project, which attracted attention by Chinese entrepreneurs, was implemented by Hon Lik in 2004. Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik used a solution of propylene glycerin during his studies.

He passed this solution through the pressurized ultrasonic emitter and discovered that the solution had evaporated. In the early days, electronic cigarettes began to be used with hookah models. Determining the name of the first electronic cigarette as Ruyan, Lik has done a serious study for those who want to quit smoking.

Known Brands

Electronic cigarette brands and models are increasing day by day. The design of electronic cigarettes varies according to the comfort of use model.

Known electronic cigarette models;

Juul electronic cigarette

Vaporesso electronic cigarette

Smok electronic cigarette

Joyetech electronic cigarette

Kangertech electronic cigarette

Eleaf electronic cigarette

Wismec electronic cigarette

Aspire electronic cigarette

How is it working?

A battery provides energy to the coil, and that coil heats liquid containing varying amounts of nicotine, propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin. This liquid mimics tobacco smoke when heated. This is how the mechanism of electronic cigarettes works.

In addition to various sweeteners, the liquid may contain other substances such as psychoactive tetrahydracanabinol (THC).

E-cigarettes also do not produce carbon and carbon monoxide, which, unlike tobacco, causes cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Is it harmful to health?

E-cigarettes have been marketed as less harmful than tobacco, which kills more than 8 million people each year. In 2015, British public health officials said e-cigarettes were 95 percent less harmful than tobacco, by best estimates. In the same year, the French Academy of Medicine also stated, “Even though it is difficult to precisely measure the long-term toxicity of e-cigarettes, there is evidence that it is significantly lower than that of conventional cigarettes.”