The Evolution of Smoking

Ever since climbing out of the primordial ooze, humans have been closely tied to the evolutionary process. Every thought, tool, and invention first started as a singular simple concept or idea, only to later evolve into something far greater and complex. From the first crudely chiseled wheel to today’s elegantly crafted Rolls Royce, from the first sparks of flint and steel to power plants now capable of producing heat for tens of thousands of homes, we as human’s have continually strived towards improvement.

And while it may sound cheesy, electronic cigarettes are just another example of the evolutionary chain. If you need a little convincing take a look at the history and evolution of smoking, and note how what was once crude, smelly, and offensive has evolved into something much more sophisticated:

The History of Smoking:

From Tobacco Leaf to Electronic Cigarette:

5000 B.C. – A rough estimate, but sometime before the modern calendar began, the inhabitants of South America discovered, cultivated and chewed tobacco leafs.
1492 – When the new world was discovered, so was tobacco.
1500s – Sailors bring the plant back to Europe. Tobacco is planted, smoked and enjoyed all over the continent!
1600s – As the popularity of tobacco use grew, laws and regulations regarding its growth, use and sale are passed.
Mid 1600s – By the mid 1600s, tobacco was commonplace in Europe. Pipe smoking was very trendy and many people believed it would improve their health.
1800s – Cigar smoking begins to replace tobacco smoking as the more popular form. Pipe smoking is still less expensive than hand rolled cigarettes
1820s – Scientists begin to investigate the negative effects of cigarette smoking and discover that nicotine in its purest form is harmful.
Mid 1800s – Cigarettes begin to become massed produced. This drives down their price, making them more convenient and affordable than pipe tobacco.
1900s – By the beginning of the 1900s, laws were passed to prevent underage use of tobacco.
Mid 1900s – Health warnings about the harmful effects of cigarettes begin. It is proven that smoking tobacco cigarettes and lung cancer are linked.
1963 – As the public perception of tobacco cigarettes begins to change, a patent for the electronic cigarette is filed. This new product is described as a smoke-less and odor-less alternative.
1980s – The perception of tobacco smoking as a harmful habit with negative consequences becomes more commonplace
2000s – Bans on tobacco smoking begin to sweep the nation. Taxes cause tobacco prices to skyrocket.
2008 – The popularity of electronic cigarettes begins to rise in the United States.
Today – As tobacco cigarette bans continue, smokers continue to turn to electronic cigarettes as the next step in smoking evolution.