H4CBD, THCP... ANSM announces ban on CBD derivatives

The decision came down on the morning of Friday May 24: all products containing H4CBD, H2CBD, HHCPO, THCP, THCA and other derivatives will be banned and placed on the list of narcotics.

This new ban follows on from the one issued almost a year ago to the day, announcing a ban on HHC and its direct derivatives HHCO and HHCP.

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Announcement of the ban on neo-cannabinoids

It's been over a month and a half since the news broke. At the beginning of March, the ASNM was considering a future ban on certain CBD derivatives.

This reflection seems to have been completed on Friday May 24. As of June 3, the ANSM intends to ban :

• H2-CBD or dihydrocannabidiol or H2-cannabidiol
• H4-CBD or tetrahydrocannabidiol or H4-cannabidiol
• Any substance derived from the benzo[c]chromene ring, whether unsubstituted or partially or fully hydrogenated on ring A (defined as the unsaturated ring bearing the methyl in position 9 of said ring in tetrahydrocannabinol), substituted or unsubstituted at one of the following positions on the ring:
  • In position 1 by a hydroxyl function, esterified or not, or an alkoxy function
  • In position 2 or 4 with a carboxyl function
  • In position 3 by an adamantyl substituent or by an alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cyanoalkyl, haloalkyl, cyanoalkynyl, haloalkynyl or alkoxy chain, whether or not this chain is itself substituted by one or more alkyl substituents, whether or not cyclic or heterocyclic, and whether or not these cycles or heterocycles are themselves saturated.
  • In position 6 by one or two alkyl groups
  • In position 9 with a ketone, alkyl, hydroxyalkyl or alkoxy function

In short, it seems that just about all synthetic and semi-synthetic derivatives (THCP, THCB, THCJD, HHCPO...) are covered by this new ban.

The only molecules left after this ban are CBD and CBN, due to their lack of habit-forming and addictive effects.

A new ban following poisoning incidents

As TF1 info points out, the decision was prompted by " reports of consumption leading to serious effects ", which alerted the authorities to the health hazards of these molecules.

The article takes the example of a group of young people who "had to go to the emergency room after consuming THC and H4-CBD candies at a party" last December.

Here, the mention of THC as a base product should be taken with a grain of salt, since, as stipulated in the European legislation which influenced French regulations, THC concentration should not exceed 0.3%.

Nevertheless, as the ANSM reveals, this would not be an isolated case, since "Since September 1, 2023, 90 cases have been reported to the centers for evaluation and information on pharmacodependence-addictovigilance (CEIP-A), 40% of which have led to an emergency room admission or hospitalization" which would represent 36 people hospitalized for intoxications involving CBD derivatives.

What are the risks for consumers who defy the ban?

According to the article in Le Parisien, from June 3 "A consumer will risk up to a year's imprisonment and a 3,750-euro fine, with the option of paying a lump sum of just 200 euros."

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What does the future hold for the CBD market in France?

A month ago, Germany decriminalized cannabis, Belgium's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy announced that it would follow suit, and just a week ago Biden announced the reclassification of cannabis as a less dangerous substance (now classed with certain drugs such as codeine), while France announced a ban on CBD derivatives.

However, the "hole in the market" referred to by François Braun, then Minister of Health, in connection with the HHC ban, is still there and is once again vacant.

The question that remains to be answered is whether, like a hydra with one head cut off, we'll see new products appear as we saw after the ban on HHC, or whether consumers will settle for CBD?

The answer is, of course, yes. After prohibition, a whole host of new products appeared, foremost among them 10-OH-HHC, a by-product of HHC. But there are also many cannabinoid mixes , such as THM, and new molecules derived from mushrooms, such as muscimole.

Nothing is certain yet, but we'll be sure to keep you posted on our blog!