Humans were aware of cannabis even when they were mostly hunters and gatherers. Ancient civilizations like Egyptians, Greek, Chinese, Indians, all used cannabis for its health effects, and also for intoxication.
People have been smoking since ages, and even experimenting with inhaling vapours, though early apparatuses were quite primitive. Across ancient civilisations, burning or heating herbs was tied to medicine, ritual, and daily life.
In ancient Egypt, priests burned herbs in enclosed spaces, allowing smoke and vapour to circulate as a form of purification. This was the rise of modern smoking weed, which lead to development of vapes. In India, texts from Ayurveda described smoking medicinal plants through clay pipes as part of therapeutic practice.
Central and South American cultures also relied on inhalation methods. The Mayans and Aztecs used herbs and tobacco in religious ceremonies, burning them to make deities happy. These early traditions were not “vaping” in the modern sense, but they carried the same principle: heat plant material to release active compounds and breathe them in.
When it comes to cannabis, it is generally regarded as native to Central Asia, though it might be native to Himalayan foothills, too. So, people living in these regions have a long history of cannabis use.
The birth of water pipes and controlled inhalation
Although it all started with burning herbs and inhaling them for good health, like that done by shamans or early healers, but soon it became standard practice in many parts of the world. Moreover, slowly, people started inhaling herbs for pleasure, too.
As smoking or inhalation practices spread, the tools also became more refined. Around the 16th century, the hookah, or water pipe, emerged in the Middle East and South Asia. By passing smoke through water, users discovered a smoother inhalation experience. The hookah became a social object, blending community, ritual, and relaxation.
It was during this time cannabis started spreading along trade routes. While tobacco had conquered Europe, cannabis retained a more medicinal and ritualistic identity.
Physicians in the Islamic Golden Age, such as Avicenna, wrote about its therapeutic effects, and herbalists in China included hemp extracts in their pharmacopeia.
The industrial era and new frontiers
The 19th century marked a turning point. Europe and North America began to systematise medicine, and cannabis extracts were introduced into apothecaries. Tinctures and pressed resins were more common than inhalation, but the appetite for innovation grew. Smoking became industrialised as paper cigarettes spread worldwide.
It was during this period that the first stirrings of what might be called “proto-vaping” appeared. Scientists experimented with heating chambers to release plant vapours without combustion.
In 1927, Joseph Robinson patented a device he called an “electric vaporizer.” It was clunky and impractical, but it foreshadowed the future. The idea of inhaling vapour rather than smoke had arrived.
The modern vaporiser revolution
Fast forward to the mid-20th century, and technology began catching up with imagination. In the 1960s, a man named Herbert Gilbert patented a “smokeless, non-tobacco cigarette.”
He suggested heating flavoured air or medicated compounds. Though never commercialised at the time, Gilbert’s design is often recognised as the ancestor of the vape.
By the 1990s and early 2000s, real-world devices entered the scene. Early vaporisers for cannabis and herbs looked nothing like sleek pens; they were bulky tabletop machines, often with glass chambers and heating plates. The appeal, however, was clear: vapour avoided the harsh byproducts of burning, delivering cleaner inhalation.
Cannabis and vaping: a parallel story
As vaporiser technology advanced, cannabis use was also slowly becoming legal. The industry was going through quite revolution as researchers started realizing that not all cannabis products are harmful and not all cannabis extracts cause intoxication and addiction.
In much of the Western world, cannabis was increasingly restricted by law through the 20th century. The UK classified cannabis as a controlled substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, making recreational use illegal. Despite this, research into cannabinoids continued globally, and the discovery of THC and CBD in the 1960s and 70s reshaped understanding of the plant.
When cannabis vaporisers entered the market, they carried a dual reputation: innovative for health-conscious consumers, but also controversial due to prohibition. Yet, enthusiasts and medical users began to adopt them quietly, preferring them over tobacco smoking.
Low THC, hemp, and the UK context
The UK’s story took a unique turn. By the late 1990s, Parliament began examining cannabis policy in detail, as seen in the 1998 Science and Technology Committee report on cannabis science and medical use (House of Lords, 1998). Though recreational cannabis remained restricted, the report acknowledged its therapeutic potential and opened discussion about medical regulation.
At the same time, hemp cultivation was reintroduced for industrial purposes, and with it came the recognition that low THC products could be separated from high THC cannabis. This distinction paved the way for CBD oils and, eventually, legal low THC vape products.
By the 2010s, vaping itself had exploded with the rise of nicotine e-cigarettes. The technology carried over seamlessly to hemp-derived oils. Low THC vapes and weed pen, containing less than 1 mg of THC per container, became a way a popular way to enjoy cannabis extract safely and legally.
From ritual to wellness
The modern low THC vape pen may look sleek, futuristic, and far removed from the clay pipes of ancient India or the hookahs of Persia. Yet the underlying idea is familiar: inhaling vapour from heated herbs to seek balance, clarity, or relief. What has changed is the science behind it.
Today’s devices use ceramic or quartz coils for precision heating. They allow consistent dosing, avoiding the unpredictability of combustion.
Modern devices also preserve delicate terpenes, compounds responsible for flavour and aroma, which earlier smoking methods would destroy.
A continuing evolution
Well, the journey of vaping is not finished. Devices continue to evolve, becoming more efficient, discreet, and tailored to individual needs.
Moreover, research into cannabinoids is uncovering new roles for compounds like CBG and CBN. Meanwhile, discussions about cannabis regulation remain active in the UK and globally, hinting that the legal landscape may keep changing.
From ancient temples filled with herbal smoke to today’s pocket-sized vape pens, the human fascination with inhaling plants has endured.
Final thoughts
The history of vaping is a story of continuity and change. Every generation has found ways to inhale plants for meaning, relief, or enjoyment. Modern low THC vapes in the UK are just the latest chapter. They stand at the intersection of heritage, innovation, and law rooted in tradition, powered by science, and shaped by regulation.
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