The list of dangers of e-cigarettes and vaping continues to grow. Scientists at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health have reportedly made an addition to the list of JUUL health hazards: the discovery of a “microbial toxin” known as glucan, which can cause long-term damage to the lungs. The findings were published early last month in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Earlier Studies

Six years ago, the same research team had performed an analysis of several vape products that were popular at the time. That study had revealed the existence of several bacterial and fungal contaminants. However, the 2013 study did not include a search for JUUL health hazards, as the company was not founded until two years later.

Since the first study, JUUL has come to dominate the market for e-cigarette products, even to the point that the term “Juuling” has become synonymous with the activity of vaping itself. It was thus decided that JUUL products should be analyzed as well.

What E-Cigarette Analysis Found

The research team examined a total of 54 JUUL “pods,” or vape cartridges containing nicotine, flavoring agents and other ingredients. Specifically, they were searching for evidence of two different biotoxins. One of these, known as endotoxin, exists inside of bacterial cells and is released when the cells die off. Endotoxins are implicated in a number of diseases, including botulism.

The other substance they looked for was glucan, which is a form of sugar found in the cell walls of fungi as well as bacteria and various plants.

While there were no detectable levels of endotoxin found in JUUL pods, the research team did discover glucan in nearly half of the samples studied. Levels were particularly high in tobacco and menthol-flavored products. Why this should be is not known, but study co-author David Christiani believes that the contamination was either in the raw ingredients to begin with, or that it occurred during the manufacturing process.

A Cause of EVALI?

The glucan found to be among JUUL health hazards in this study does not appear to be a contributing factor to the recent lung disease dubbed EVALI (“E-cigarette and Vaping-Associated Lung Illness”). That particular condition has been associated primarily with illegal, home-brewed vape liquids containing THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. These black market products contain vitamin E acetate, which leaves a coating on the lungs, causing severe respiratory impairment.

That said, exposure to fumes containing glucan does cause inflammation of the air passages, resulting in serious, long-term lung injury.

More JUUL Health Hazards?

One of the first JUUL health hazards to surface was an elevated risk of seizures, caused by high nicotine levels; according to the company, a single JUUL pod contains as much nicotine as an entire pack of combustible cigarettes.

Another Harvard study, published in December, 2015 in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, discovered the presence of diacetyl and other chemical substances in over 75 percent of flavored vape pods, all of which are associated with lung disease. JUUL has since stopped manufacturing “kid-friendly” flavored vape products, and concerns over their products have deflated the company’s value.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented 
for informational purposes only.