Did you know that the first patent for an electronic cigarette was issued to Joseph Robinson in 1930? He actually filed for the patent in 1927, so they are not as new or recent as many think.

The first device that best resembles the e-cigarettes seen today was patented in 1965 by Herbert. A Gilbert.

In 1979, computer pioneer Phil Ray and his physician Norman Jacobsen created the first commercialized version of an e-cigarette.

In the 1990s, a number of patents were issued for devices described as nicotine inhalers.

In 2003, Hon Lik, a 52-year-old pharmacist in Beijing, China came up with the first commercially successful e-cigarette. From there, others kept developing other types and versions until today, e-cigarettes are everywhere.

In fact, e-cigarettes have taken on an epidemic proportion especially among teens and young adults, but you may be surprised to learn just how many older people are also using e-cigarettes. According to one source, 85% of people ages 18-29 had tried or are using e-cigarettes. Those 30-44, 69% say they have tried or are using e-cigarettes. For ages 45-54, 49% have tried or use e-cigarettes. There is only a slight decrease to 43% for those ages 55-64 and then plummets to 22% of those 65 or older say they have tried or are using e-cigarettes.

As the e-cigarettes have become more popular, we have been hearing more warnings about their use. According to the US Surgeon General:

“Besides nicotine, e-cigarettes can contain harmful and potentially harmful ingredients, including:

• ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs
• flavorants such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to serious lung disease
• volatile organic compounds
• heavy metals, such as nickel, tin, and lead”

E-cigarettes have been linked to the same addictions as smoking real cigarettes with many of the same damaging health issues, such as heart disease, cancer and respiratory issues.

A recent study has revealed evidence that links the use of e-cigarettes to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes:

“Electronic cigarettes are often thought of as ‘healthier’ than conventional cigarettes, but the jury’s still out on their potential health risks. Now, a new study has found a link between e-cigarette use and an increased risk of stroke and heart attacks.”

“The study analyzed information from about 400,000 Americans who took part in a national health survey in 2016. Of these, about 66,800 reported that they regularly used e-cigarettes.”

“Compared with non-e-cigarette users, regular users had about a 70 percent higher risk of stroke, a 60 percent higher risk of heart attack or angina (chest pain) and a 40 percent higher risk of coronary heart disease.”

“About 79 percent of e-cigarette users also reported using conventional cigarettes, compared with just 37 percent of non-e-cigarette users.”

“But the findings linking e-cigarettes with an increased risk of stroke, heart attack and coronary heart disease held even after the researchers took into account whether people were also conventional cigarette smokers, said study lead author Dr. Paul Ndunda, an assistant professor at the University of Kansas School of Medicine.”

“What’s more, when the researchers analyzed a subset of participants who reported smoking fewer than 100 conventional cigarettes in their lives (meaning they were not regular users of cigarettes), they found that e-cigarette users were still 29 percent more likely to report having a stroke, 25 percent more likely to report having a heart attack and 18 percent more likely to report having coronary heart disease, Ndunda told Live Science.”

The bottom line is that e-cigarettes are harmful and should be just as highly regulated and probably even more regulated than regular cigarettes are. If you are a responsible adult, don’t be duped into thinking that they are safer and better than smoking real cigarettes. If you are a parent, DON’T let your kids use e-cigarettes, as so many are.