HISTORY

Vaporizer pens have been around in various forms since the 1960s, though, in that era the sets were more of the tabletop variety and not very pocketable. Chinese pharmacist Han Lik is largely credited as the modern vaporizer pen’s inventor (also called “e-cigarettes”), apparently finding the inspiration after his father died from cancer. The device, then known as Ruyan (means “like smoke”) was a hit in his homeland, so naturally, it made its way to the US in the mid 2000s. “Vaping” — the common term for using a vaporizer pen — is simply applying heat to a liquid which creates vapor. Breathing in the nearly-odorless vapor gives the smoker their nicotine hit. While the most common e-cigarettes look like traditional smokes and are often sold in ciggy-like packaging, the market is overflowing with variety.