WHO tells electronic cigarette companies to stop using its name

William Atkins
Saturday, 20 September 2008 22:00

Science - Health

The above-mentioned electronic cigarette Internet-based company (http://minicigarette.net/) does not use the WHO logo or its name on its Web advertising (as far as this author can find).

Hon Lik of the Chinese company Ruyan developed the internationally recognized patent-pending electronic cigarette in 2004, with an international filing date of August 4, 2004.

As stated at the website of the World Intellectual Property Organization, the patent was titled “A Flameless Electronic Atomizing Cigarette.”

Hon Lik is currently the chairperson of Ruyan America, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ruyan America is a U.S.-based joint venture partner of Ruyan Holdings Ltd of Hong Kong.

Its website states, “The Ruyan E-cigarette is a patented sophisticated electronic device that atomizes purified, liquid nicotine and produces a vapor that, when inhaled, satisfies a smoker’s craving for nicotine. The vapor contains none of the 4000 chemicals commonly found in traditional cigarette smoke and none of the 20 of those chemicals considered poisonous or carcinogenic. When and if the vapor is expelled, it does not contain any of the chemicals found in second hand smoke.”