Chemotyping of ∆8-THC-Containing e-Liquids Analyzed during the 2019-2020 New York State EVALI Investigation

Abstract

The investigation of the 2019-2020 E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI) outbreak in New York State provided a unique opportunity to examine the formulations and chemical components found in clandestine cannabis-containing e-liquids. In this EVALI investigation, it was determined that an unusually high proportion (16%) of the cannabis e-liquids analyzed contained significant levels of ∆8-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆8-THC). Although not thought to be the causative agent in the outbreak, the manufacturing origin of vaping e-liquids containing large concentrations of ∆8-THC was of great interest, since high ∆8-THC concentrations are not observed in the extracts of common cannabis strains. A principal component analysis of multiple cannabinoid concentrations revealed clusters of similar or identical ∆8-THC-containing products. This technique may be useful in identifying common manufacturing sources in this and future investigations. Several possible manufacturing methods to enrich ∆8-THC appear in literature and are discussed based on their likelihood as sources of this cannabinoid in these samples from the EVALI investigation. The presence of high levels of ∆8-THC in numerous illicit vaping products may implicate cannabidiol, which is readily available at low cost, as its synthetic precursor.