Even though herb vaporization has been known for centuries, the modern vaporization method is relatively new and dates back to the 90’s of the 20th century. Learn about the beginnings of the herbs vaporization and what kind of vaporizers the first amateurs of herbs had to deal with. Trust us, it wasn’t easy!
How does the history of vaporization look?
Although the vaporization of herbs has been known for centuries, vaporization in the form we recognize today is a relatively new phenomenon, with its origins dating back to the early 1990s.
From this article, you will learn about the beginnings of herbal vaporization and the types of vaporizers that the first enthusiasts of this form of herb consumption had to master [1].
Vaporizers [2], which are devices used to evaporate the active substances contained in herbs without causing the plant material to combust, have become extremely popular in recent years.
Although electronic vaporizers appeared at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, herbal vaporization has a much longer history. The practice of herb vaporization by the ancient Scythians was already mentioned by Herodotus [3]. At that time, in the 5th century BCE, herbal vapor was used (instead of steam) to power steam baths where the ancients loved to spend time.
The beginnings of vaporization, in the sense of inhaling vapor using a “vaporizer,” have their roots in areas now belonging to Afghanistan. It was in this region, about 1500 years ago, that the Hookah [4], was invented.
From a technical standpoint, the first true vaporizers were precisely the water pipes of the Hookah type. The herbs placed in them vaporized due to the heat emitted by a glowing charcoal, without actually burning. Over the centuries, Hookah pipes gained great popularity, but a technological gap separates them from modern vaporizers.
How did the first vaporization look like?
In the 1990s, a certain “Eagle” Bill Amato, an American living in Amsterdam, laid the foundations for vaporization in the form we know it today. The first “Eagle” Bill vaporizer became famous when it was presented to the public in 1994 during the Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam.
He was inspired to create his first invention by one of the Californian growers. What did the first real herbal vaporizer look like and how did it work?
First of all, it was huge – comparable in size to a medium-sized barrel. It was a large glass vessel from which two glass tubes protruded. One of them contained the herbs, which were then heated using a heat gun – the same type used to remove paint from walls.
A stream of hot air passed through the herbs, producing vapor that collected inside the glass vessel. The vapor could then be inhaled through the second glass tube. Thus, it was, in fact, the first convection vaporizer [6]. This invention caused an absolute sensation and was exhibited in Amsterdam for over 10 years.
“Eagle” Bill’s next invention was much smaller and targeted at the mass consumer. It was a device called “Shake and Vape” [7], consisting of a glass tube ending in a glass bulb with an opening at the top. The herbs were placed through the opening into the bulb, and then a lighter flame was applied to the bottom of the glass bulb, causing the herbs to vaporize, allowing the vapor to be inhaled through the glass tube.
So, it was essentially a manual conduction vaporizer. Both of “Eagle” Bill’s inventions contributed to the popularization of herbal vaporization as a method for effectively absorbing the properties of herbs without causing them to combust. They also laid the groundwork for the development of more advanced vaporizers.
Development of vaporizers over the years
The next milestone for vaporizers was a device called the BC Vaporizer. It utilized the idea of a glass bulb where vapor accumulated, a concept known from “Eagle” Bill Amato’s first invention [7].
However, there were two significant differences – first, it was a conduction device [8], where vapor was produced by direct contact of the herbs with a heated metal plate. Secondly, it was an electronic device, not requiring the use of a heat gun or lighter flame.
Therefore, the BC Vaporizer was essentially the first electronic desktop vaporizer. It quickly became very popular in North America and Europe.
The next innovation in vaporizers came in 2000, when the German company Storz & Bickel, still successfully operating today, introduced the Volcano desktop vaporizer to the world.
This device set standards for many years and paved the way for the creation of more technologically advanced models.
The uniqueness of the Volcano is best demonstrated by the fact that in 2017, the device was still being sold in large quantities, and the quality of the vapor it produced was hard to beat. Almost everyone who had any contact with vaporization recognizes the Volcano vaporizer filling a balloon with vapor.
After the invention of the Volcano, things began to move quickly. First came desktop vaporizers from other companies, and then the world got to know portable vaporizers, which are currently the most popular. The first of these was the butane-powered Iolite, which premiered in 2008.
In 2010, the world got to know the Magic Flight Launch Box, which is today one of the most popular and smallest high-end vaporizers. The following year, in 2011, the Arizer Solo portable vaporizer was introduced, setting a new standard for portable devices.
After the premiere and great success of the Solo, more and more electronic vaporizers began to appear, and the market expanded at an increasingly rapid pace each year.
To date, hundreds of various, more or less successful models have been created. Considering how quickly the vaporizer industry is developing, the most interesting innovations are probably still ahead of us. One thing is certain: the future belongs to vaporizers!
Bibliography:
1. https://vapefully.com/choosing-a-vaporizer/vaporization-what-is-it/
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaporizer_(inhalation_device)
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entheogenic_use_of_cannabis
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hookah
5. https://www.cannabis.info/en/blog/marijuana-vip-eagle-bill
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convection
7. https://cannabiscultureawards.com/winners/eagle-bill-amato
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