E-cigarettes And Vaping Devices

Traditional tobacco smoking has been a public health issue for decades, with numerous studies linking it to various diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory conditions.

The combustion process involved in smoking releases thousands of harmful chemicals, with many of them being carcinogenic and detrimental to our health. However, the addictive quantities of nicotine mean that people looking for that nicotine ‘hit’ ignore health warnings that have existed for many years.

E-cigarettes were developed to provide a cleaner way to deliver nicotine without the harmful byproducts of combustio

. The motivation behind their development was, firstly, to provide a tool for smokers trying to quit by mimicking the hand-to-mouth action and supplying a controlled amount of nicotine and, secondly, to offer a potentially less harmful alternative for those who wished to continue to enjoy nicotine use without resorting to traditional cigarettes.

As technology has evolved and the demand for more personalised experiences has grown. Vapes or vaping devices have now more or less replaced the original e-cigarettes. Vapes allow users more flexibility in terms of flavours, nicotine levels, and hardware customisation, which, as a result, has further distanced the act of vaping from the harmful act of smoking.

How Do They Work?

E-cigarettes and vaping devices operate by vaporising a liquid known as e-liquid or vape juice. This liquid comprises propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerin (VG), nicotine, flavourings, and occasionally other additives.

A rechargeable lithium-ion battery powers these devices, typically located in the main body or “mod” of the e-cigarette. Inside, there’s an atomiser or coil made of resistance wire wrapped around a wick. This coil heats up when the user inhales or presses a button powered by the battery.

The heated coil vaporises the e-liquid soaked into the wick. When the user inhales through the mouthpiece, they draw in this vapour, resembling smoke but without combustion, smoke, or tar. Exhalation results in a dissipating cloud of harmless vapour.

This process delivers both the flavour from the e-liquid and, if present, nicotine. Nicotine is absorbed through the mouth and throat’s mucous membranes, entering the bloodstream and providing a nicotine hit.

Vaping devices offer customisation options, allowing users to adjust settings like wattage, airflow, and temperature and use different coils and e-liquids.

Did You Know..?  (FUN FACT)

Vapes, or what we now recognise as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), were first conceptualised much earlier than many people realise.

The first known patent for an electronic cigarette was filed in 1963 by Herbert A. Gilbert. He proposed a device that would replace burning tobacco and paper with a heated, moist, flavoured vapour. This early version of the e-cigarette never went into commercial production, and the idea remained largely dormant for several decades.

The first ‘modern-day’ e-cigarette was invented in China in 2003. In 2004, they were available in China, but it wasn’t until 2007 that e-cigarettes were made commercially available in America, Europe and the UK.