A Timeline of Vaping History

440 BC – Ancient Vaping

Herodotus, a Greek historian, was the first to mention a form of vaping when describing a tradition of the Scythians, a Eurasian people who would throw cannabis, aka marijuana, onto red hot stones and then inhale and bathe in the resulting vapor.

1542 AD – Irfan Sheikh Invents Hookah

Though not directly related to vaping, the hookah is considered a key step towards the creation of the modern vaporizer.

1960 – Herbert A. Gilbert Patents the First Vaporizer

Gilbert, a Korean war veteran, introduced the basic anatomy of the vaporizer, which is still more or less the same as today.

The 1980s and 90s – Eagle Bill’s Shake & Vape Pipe

Frank William Wood, commonly known as “Eagle Bill Amato” was a Cherokee marijuana medicine man. He introduced the first portable vaporizer called Eagle Bill’s Shake & Vape Pipe and is known for popularizing vaping culture, especially the vaping of marijuana.

2003 – Hon Lik Invents Modern E-Cig

Hon Lik, now known as the father of modern vaping, is a Chinese pharmacist who invented the modern e-cigarette.

The late 2000s – E-cigarettes move into the spotlight

Within a year of their invention, e-cigarettes began to be sold commercially. Their popularity grew in the late 2000s, and continues to rise today. In the UK alone, the number of vapers has increased from 700,000 in 2012 to 2.6 million in 2015.