FACT BRIEF

Has vaping been around for 15 years?

Saturday, July 17, 2021

By Lisa Freedland

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YES

The first “commercially successful” e-cigarette, or vape, was created in 2003 in Beijing, and was introduced to the U.S. and Europe in 2006. The 2003 device was created by a pharmacist with a smoking habit, whose father passed away from lung cancer. E-cigarettes were thought to be a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes.

Various inventors had worked on prototypes of e-cigarettes throughout the 20th century. The “first commercialized variation” of the e-cigarette was created in 1979, along with the first official research on nicotine delivery. The device ultimately failed because of its faulty nature, but its inventors are credited with coining the term “vape,” according to a history compiled by Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives.

The FDA began regulating e-cigarettes in 2011. E-cigarettes may be a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes, although are still not safe, a Johns Hopkins doctor writes in an overview of research.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Historical timeline of vaping & electronic cigarettes

Johns Hopkins Medicine 5 vaping facts you need to know

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