E cigarettes, invented in China in 2003 as a smoking alternative, are safer than combustible cigarettes but not risk free, exposing users to nicotine and other chemicals that can harm the heart, lungs, and BBC Audio Witness History The first commercially successful electronic cigarette E cigarettes were invented in 2003 by a Chinese pharmacist named Hon Lik. The Absolute Best E Cigarettes (Top Brands Tested) BBC Radio 4 All Consuming How did e cigarettes and vaping get so popular?