Organic Vaping 101: What is Vegetable Glycerin?

The History of E-Cigarette

The earliest electronic cigarette can be traced to Herbert A. Gilbert, who in 1963 patented a device described as "a smokeless non-tobacco cigarette" that involved "replacing burning tobacco and paper with heated, moist, flavored air". This device heated the nicotine solution and produced steam. It was never commercialized. Hon Lik, a Chinese pharmacist and inventor, who worked as a research pharmacist for a company producing ginseng products, is credited with the invention of the E cigarette.Hon had himself quit smoking, after his father, also a heavy smoker, had died of lung cancer. In 2003 he came up with the idea of using a piezoelectric ultrasound-emitting element to vaporise a pressurized jet of liquid containing nicotine diluted in a propylene glycol solution. This design produces a smoke-like vapour that can be inhaled and provides a vehicle for nicotine delivery into the bloodstream via the lungs. He also proposed using propylene glycol to dilute nicotine and placing it in a disposable plastic cartridge which serves as a liquid reservoir and mouthpiece. Hon patented the modern e-cigarette design in 2003. Electronic cigarettes using a different design were first introduced to the Chinese domestic market in May 2004 as an aid for smoking cessation and replacement. Many versions made their way to the U.S., sold mostly over the Internet by small marketing firms. The company that Hon Lik worked for, Golden Dragon Holdings, changed its name to Ruyan and started exporting its products in 2005–2006, Before receiving its first international patent in 2007. The electronic cigarette continued to evolve from the first generation three-part device. In 2006 the "cartomizer" was invented by British entrepreneurs Umer and Tariq Sheikh of XL Distributors. This is a mechanism which integrates the heating coil into the liquid chamber. The new device was launched in the UK in 2007 in their Gamucci brand and is now widely adopted by the majority of 'cigalike' brands. The grant of the UK patent for the "cartomizer" was made to XL Distributors in February 2013 and published by the UK Intellectual Property Office.The international tobacco companies, recognising the development of a potential new market sector that could render traditional tobacco products obsolete The international tobacco companies, recognising the development of a potential new market sector that could render traditional tobacco products obsolete, are increasingly involved in the production and marketing of their own brands of e-cigarettes and in acquiring existing e-cigarette companies.are increasingly involved in the production and marketing of their own brands of e-cigarettes and in acquiring existing e-cigarette companies. Blu, a prominent US e-cigarette producer, was acquired by Lorillard Inc. in 2012. British American Tobacco launched Vype in 2013, while Imperial Tobacco's Fontem Ventures acquired the intellectual property owned by Hon Lik through Dragonite for $US 75 million in 2013 and launched Puritane in partnership with Boots UK. On Oct 1 2013 Lorillard Inc. acquired another e- cigarette company, this time a UK based company SKYCIG. On Feb 2014, Altria Group, Inc Acquired popular e cigarette brand Green Smoke for 110 million. The deal was finalized in April 2014 for $110 million and $20 million in incentive payments.Altria also markets its own e-cigarette, the MarkTen, while Reynolds American has entered the sector with its Vuse product.

Saturday, March 7, 2015

What is Vegetable Glycerin?

Vegetable Glycerin(VG) is also referred to as vegetable glycerol. In electronic cigarette circles, vegetable glycerin is known as that “other” chemical which can be used in place of Propylene Glycol in order to make the visual smoke created when you vapor smoke an electronic cigarette. It is a carbohydrate which is created fro plant oils and is also used in both cosmetics and sweeteners. VG can also be used to extract botanical products in place of alcohol.
Vegetable Glycerin is produced in varying grades to include food-grade which is 99.7% pure VG with the remainder being water. VG is commonly used in foods that are marketed as being low in carbs and is not considered harmful to your teeth.
Vapor smokers, however like to use VG for two reasons:1 – As a substitute for propylene glycol if they are allergic to PG,or 2 – If they want to use a little “greener” mix in their e liquid.
VG also has uses in soaps for people who have sensitive skin and helps to act as a moisturizer for the affected person’s skin. Because of the moisturizing effect,VG has also been used as a remedy for dry skin,rashes,burns,cuts,and even bedsores. Some uses of VG have found it to be useful to help treat gum disease when administered by a dentist.
The primary means to produce vegetable glycerin is from plants although it can be produced from the byproducts of animal fat used to make soap. Normally VG will be made by heating palm or coconut oil to an extremely high temperature,putting under pressure with water mixed in,and then having it splitting off from the fatty acids into the water. The water is then further distilled to remove the VG.

Other Uses for Vegetable Glycerin include:

In de-icing fluids
Non-evaporating substitutes
Citric Acid production
Cosmetic bonding agent in makeup to include lipstick,lipgloss,lotions,and eye shadows.
Bodybuilding supplements for increase of nitric oxide
Compost additive
Anti-drying agent in watercolor paint
Preservative to use in hookah tobacco
As a substitute for PG