Scientists analyzed popular e-cigarettes’ chemistry

E-cigarettes have exploded in popularity among teens. According to the US Food and Drug Administration, their use by US high school students surged from 12% in 2017 to 21% in 2018, despite federal regulations barring anyone under 18 years of age from buying e-cigarettes. In particular, e-cigarette maker Juul has dominated the market, as well as news coverage, this year. “The whole Juul thing is completely blowing up,” says Portland State University chemist James Pankow, referring to the product’s growing use and press attention. While the company says that its product is intended to help tobacco smokers quit, “Juuling” has taken off among young consumers, who are drawn to the product’s discreet design and appealing e-liquid flavors, such as mint and mango, surveys suggest. In May, Pankow and Portland State colleagues David Peyton and Anna K. Duell reported another explanation for Juul’s success: chemistry. Using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, the