We Asked the Inventor of the E-Cigarette What He Thinks About Vape Regulations

[Oliver]

He knows next to nothing about our segment of the market !

What do you make of the wide variety of e-liquid flavors on the market? Like dessert and candy flavors?
For the specific flavors you mentioned about candy and food, I have of course tasted these. However, I am a smoker so I don’t like it because I am used to the tobacco taste. But I also understand that the majority of e-cig consumers are ex-cigarette users, so the majority are not keen on this kind of flavor. Maybe a certain very small group of individuals would use this kind of flavor as a fashion product.

Actually, at least here in the US, the flavored products are really popular, even among former smokers. They tell me it helps them to stay off cigarettes.
Thank you for the information. I understand. I think probably that Americans consume more sugar products than the Chinese population. That might be a possible answer for this phenomenon.

Actually, I think there's a really important cultural difference that goes way beyond national preferences for food products.

The way it was explained to me is that the e-cigarette - the whole concept - really hasn't translated well to the Chinese market. Indeed, the "Ruyan" brand was probably a big mistake: It means, literally, "like smoke", and because it's nothing like smoke, Chinese people saw it as "inauthentic".

The wider vape culture (which is taking off in China quite rapidly), would probably disappoint many on ECF. It's sort of a facsimile copy of the US vape culture, and much more of a lifestyle movement than about ending smoking. It's amazing, though - the Chinese vaping social media is absolutely FULL of people obsessed with flavor. Really hyper critical and discerning.

Also, I'm not sure Hon Lik is totally wrong (although he's probably using cigalikes, as mentioned upthread) - I do believe that a truly authentic tobacco-smoke vape would be massive. I also believe this is impossible to achieve.

 

[Shirtbloke]

Also, I'm not sure Hon Lik is totally wrong (although he's probably using cigalikes, as mentioned upthread) - I do believe that a truly authentic tobacco-smoke vape would be massive. I also believe this is impossible to achieve.

Every time I've seen Hon Lik vaping it's always been a cigalike that he pulls from his top pocket. I agree that if anyone ever came up with an authentic tobacco it would sell incredibly well, especially to new vapers coming from smoking. There was this incredibly complicated recipe that came from Ol Doc Porter (who sadly left shortly after).....
Ultimate Cigarette Flavor
Maybe someone should try making it and let the rest of us know how it works out.

 

[Kent C]

Every time I've seen Hon Lik vaping it's always been a cigalike that he pulls from his top pocket.

He's seen with others as well, eGo, eCigar, an ePipe. And the original Ruyan products were bigger than cigalikes. Here's his first prototype:

First Ruyan ecig:

 

[Rossum]

The wider vape culture (which is taking off in China quite rapidly), would probably disappoint many on ECF. It's sort of a facsimile copy of the US vape culture, and much more of a lifestyle movement than about ending smoking. It's amazing, though - the Chinese vaping social media is absolutely FULL of people obsessed with flavor. Really hyper critical and discerning.

The fact that it's taking off in China is good news. It means that no matter how draconian any of our governments' laws and regulations get, there will be a vibrant vape industry somewhere.

Personally, I never felt as though vaping would "end smoking", at least not for another generation or two. In order to successfully transition from long-term smoking to vaping, you have to WANT to, and some people just don't want to, at least not yet.