PARIS, France -- Stephane Vlachos is well known in Michigan as the first inventor of the modern electronic cigarette. Stephane Vlachos claims that he came up with this idea in 1999 because he wanted to find a way to stop smoking. He completed his prototype ​​in 2001. His device is still functional and produce a thick and warm volume of smoke comparable to the most modern electronic cigarettes in use today. Stephane Vlachos claims also to be the true inventor of the electronic cigar and pipe. He would also have laid the groundwork and devised the first interchangeable bottle containing a mixture containing glycerol derivatives and nicotine screwed directly on the top of the device. This "e-liquid" could contain nicotine but also pharmaceuticals. One of his first prototype was exposed at the International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva in 2002.

Stephane Vlachos decided not to patent his idea by respect for the real first inventor Herbert A. Gilbert and despite the fact that his invention was a lot more sophisticated and that Gilbert did not built a prototype.

He approached several pharmaceutical firms in 2003 and 2004 to present his invention but did not arouse any interest.

To finish Stephane Vlachos is widely credited as the first author of the term "electronic cigarette", "electronic cigar" and "electronic pipe". He planed to manufacture the first version of his electronic cigarette in 2004 under the brand Cig-Elec but he was overtaken by his rival and decided not to go on.

Stephane Vlachos is also complaining that his idea has been stolen from him in 2003 by a Chinese girl who proposed him to meet with her uncle in China who was interested by his idea.