Research from the British medical journal The Lancet in August called them more effective than nicotine patches in helping smokers quit.Early e-cigarette designs were drawn up in the US as early as the 1960s, but Hon is acknowledged among industry commentators as the first person to develop a viable commercial version.He came up with his design in 2003 while working as a medical researcher and trying to quit a pack-a-day habit developed in his teens."In the evenings I sometimes forgot to take off my nicotine patch, which gave me nightmares all night," he said.In one dream Hon said he found himself drowning in a sea that turned into a cloud of vapour, giving him inspiration for the product which he scribbled down on a bedside notepad.After a year spent perfecting the design, he said, sales took off and by 2006 Ruyan was "producing 24 hours a day with demand still exceeding supply".But that same year, media reports that described his products as addictive and causing heart attacks dented sales.China's tobacco sales administration accused the company of irresponsible advertising and recommended Beijing shops stop selling its products.Hon said China's state-run tobacco industry -- a powerful lobby that contributes as much as 10 percent to total government revenues, according to the US-based Brookings Institution -- was wary of the competition."All tobacco companies disliked our products, especially the large ones, and they have influence over governments," Hon said, accusing the industry of driving some of the negative coverage."It's like how the inventor of a perpetual motion machine would receive pressure from the energy industry."Meanwhile rival firms sprang up in China and abroad
Combustion remains the primary driver of smoking-related disease and death
While vaping attempted to get consumers off conventional tobacco, HNB effectively went back to tobacco, but now in a way that supposedly carries fewer health risks (although no conclusive, uncontestable studies exist yet)
If a do-it-yourself approach seems like a money-saving idea, think again
The guy who just wants to be by himself
