We have come a long way since this year 2003 or the first e-cigarette of the Chinese Hon Lik, a pharmacist who was trying to quit smoking was patented. Today, we offer you the translation of an interview with Hon Lik offered by the site " Motherboard To get his opinion on the future of the industry he spawned. You probably already know, today Hon Lik works as a consultant for Fontem Ventures, the company that owns the “Blu” e-cigarette brand.
Motherboard : Thank you for taking the time to meet with us today. To begin with, could you perhaps explain to us how you invented the e-cigarette?
Hon Lik : It's a long story, but I'll try to give you a simplified version. I started smoking when I was 18. At that time, I had a difficult job in a rural area and I was far from my parents and family, this made me smoke. Being alone… Cigarettes had become my only friends.
Finally, I went back to town and then to college and studied to be a pharmacist. My workload was constantly increasing and my cigarette consumption was affected. I soon realized that smoking was harmful to my health and after a while I said to myself "I'm a pharmacist, maybe I could use my knowledge to develop something that could help me quit. to smoke. "
I used nicotine patches for a while, but it didn't really help me. Moreover, it was the click and I decided to use my knowledge in order to develop a product to replace cigarettes.
Motherboard : And that's when you invented the e-cigarette?
Hon Lik : I officially started to develop this alternative device in 2002. As a pharmacist I quickly understood that the delivery of nicotine is very different from a patch compared to smoking: The patch releases nicotine with a steady flow in the blood through the skin, but it remains stable for a long time long period. When you burn tobacco, the inhalation of nicotine will quickly go into the lungs and into the blood. So I started to look for the best way to imitate that feeling you get when you smoke.
Afterwards, it was not because I had understood these principles that everything was done. It didn't mean that I could find a solution easily
At that time, there was no information and materials were difficult to find. So I had a long period of failure. Every day when I woke up I had a new idea on how to improve the device. So every week I had an improved model. Finally, en 2003, I registered the patent in China, the United States, as well as the European Union.
Motherboard : And what about the e-cigarette market?
Hon Lik : After launching it in the Chinese market, the success was enormous. I have received a lot of enthusiastic feedback from consumers, as well as a lot of positive comments. This subsequently made it possible to have new successes in Europe. I realized that my dream had come true, it not only helped me to stop smoking, but it was also an opportunity for millions of people to stop smoking. In the end, it was not just a personal dream, but indeed a positive step forward for public health.
Motherboard : Did you expect your invention to become so important?
Hon Lik : To be honest, yes. I expected the success to be huge and it is because of this belief that I was able to stay motivated during this long period of development.
Motherboard : We know that you stopped smoking because of your invention. Do you still steam?
Hon Lik : Most of the time I use my e-cigarettes, but as a developer I have to deal with new ideas, new perspectives and I can't afford to lose my sense of taste [for cigarettes]. Sometimes when I find a new tobacco product, a new taste, or a new blend, I'll buy a pack and smoke a few cigarettes so that I don't lose that sensitivity.
Motherboard : What do you think of the wide variety of e-liquids on the market? Like dessert or candy flavors?
Hon Lik : For specific aromas like sweets or desserts, I obviously have to taste them. However, I am a smoker and I don't really like that kind of flavor because I'm used to the taste of tobacco. But I think the majority of vapers are former smokers and the majority of them aren't too drawn to this kind of flavor. However, it is possible that a small part of vapers use these flavors following a fad.
Motherboard: In fact, in the United States at least, flavored products are very popular, even among former smokers. They also say that it helps them stay away from tobacco.
Hon Lik : Thanks for the information. I understand. I think Americans probably consume more sweet products than the Chinese people. This could be a plausible answer to this phenomenon.
Motherboard: This could be an explanation! Speaking of the United States, what are your thoughts on the new regulations?
Hon Lik : I think it's positive. This will help increase confidence in these products and improve manufacturing standards. However, I also think that it can have a negative impact on innovation due to the many restrictions. Having said that, I also believe that regulatory environments can improve quite simply because regulation has to follow the movement of the market imposed by consumers.
Motherboard : There is a lot of concern that these regulations could destroy many businesses.
Hon lik : If we are talking about the “Blu” brand for example, it is very well placed in this new regulatory environment. There are many brands available in the market today, but fancy packaging is no solution. What matters is the content, the standard, and the safety of the products.
In terms of choice, as a pharmacist, ex-smoker, and developer, I like to recommend [Cigalikes] sealed devices. It's not only because of my intellectual property but more importantly it's a product that people consume with their mouths and then go into the lungs, safety has to be very important.
Motherboard : What are your thoughts on DIY more commonly known as "Do it Yourself"?
Hon Lik : There is obviously a risk because the consumer does not fully understand the scientific point of view and the standard used for assembly. I simply do not recommend it.
Motherboard: Thank you for your time. Is there anything else you would like to add?
Hon Lik : Yes, initially the e-cigarette received a lot of attention because it was new and because it had potential as an alternative to tobacco. I am very happy to see that this is still the case even if it is normal to hear doubts or discuss new technologies, standards and safety.
Having said that, the media around the world sometimes seems more focused on the wow factor rather than going deep into it in order to understand this new product and its potential. What is important is how to improve the available technology, find ways to improve standards, further reduce the risk, and improve the product. I want to raise awareness so that billions of consumers can benefit from this new product.
Source : Motherboard (Translation : Vapoteurs.net)
