A control body coupled or coupleable with a cartridge that is equipped with a heating element and contains an aerosol precursor composition, the control body being coupled or coupleable with the cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device in which the heating element is configured to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, the control body comprising: a housing; and within the housing, a flow sensor configured to detect a flow of air through at least a portion of the housing, and output an airflow-detected signal in response to the flow of air so detected; a control component configured to operate in an active mode in which the control body is coupled with the cartridge, the control component in the active mode being configured to control the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition; and a proximity sensor (248; 300) configured to detect a presence of an object nearby the control body without requiring any physical contact with the object, the proximity sensor (248; 300) or control component being further configured to control operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device in response to the presence of the object so detected, wherein the proximity sensor (248; 300) is an inductive, capacitive, ultrasonic, Hall effect, photoelectric or non-mechanical magnetic proximity sensor (248; 300), wherein the proximity sensor (248; 300) is further configured to output a proximity-detected signal in response to the presence of the object so detected, and wherein the proximity sensor (248; 300) or control component being configured to control operation of at least one functional element includes the control component being configured to initiate operation in the active mode in response to both the proximity-detected signal and airflow-detected signal, and therein control the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. a housing; and within the housing, a flow sensor configured to detect a flow of air through at least a portion of the housing, and output an airflow-detected signal in response to the flow of air so detected; a control component configured to operate in an active mode in which the control body is coupled with the cartridge, the control component in the active mode being configured to control the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition; and a proximity sensor (248; 300) configured to detect a presence of an object nearby the control body without requiring any physical contact with the object, the proximity sensor (248; 300) or control component being further configured to control operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device in response to the presence of the object so detected, wherein the proximity sensor (248; 300) is an inductive, capacitive, ultrasonic, Hall effect, photoelectric or non-mechanical magnetic proximity sensor (248; 300), wherein the proximity sensor (248; 300) is further configured to output a proximity-detected signal in response to the presence of the object so detected, and wherein the proximity sensor (248; 300) or control component being configured to control operation of at least one functional element includes the control component being configured to initiate operation in the active mode in response to both the proximity-detected signal and airflow-detected signal, and therein control the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.