Removal of mango-flavoured Juul pods created opportunity for adulterated mango Juul-compatible pods with altered chemical constituents

Introduction: Juul is a leading electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) brand in the USA. By November 2019, Juul pre-emptively limited online and in-store sales of non-tobacco or menthol-flavoured pods ahead of impending flavour bans. Since this removal, sale of mango-flavoured Juul-compatible pods was introduced to the market by smaller companies. The aim of this study was to compare chemical constituents of original Juul mango pods with mango-flavoured Juul-compatible pods.

Methods: Juul and 16 brands of Juul-compatible mango-flavoured pods were purchased online in May 2018 (original Juul) and November 2019 (Juul-compatible), after Juul voluntarily removed their flavoured pods from the market. Liquid was extracted from pods and analysed using chromatography and mass spectrometry methods for nicotine concentration, solvent ratios, nicotine salt identification, as well as flavouring identification and quantitation.

Results: Juul-compatible pods had a significantly lower average nicotine concentration compared with original Juul pod (42.8±8.9 vs 57.2±0.9 mg/mL, p<0.0001). Nicotine benzoate was used in original Juul pod and all Juul-compatible pods. The propylene glycol to vegetable glycerin volumetric ratio of Juul-compatible pods averaged 55:45, while the original Juul pod was 35:65 (p<0.0001). Total number of flavouring chemicals detected was significantly higher in Juul-compatible pods as compared with Juul (p<0.0001). In Juul-compatible pods, average concentrations of benzyl alcohol (fruity flavouring) were 0.8±1.3 mg/mL, approximately 27 times higher than in original Juul pod (p<0.0001).

Conclusions: Adulterated Juul-compatible products may expose e-cigarette consumers to more chemical constituents at higher concentrations than previously found in the original product, despite similarity in product design.