HHC: What is it? Why was it banned?

You've probably already heard about it. After taking the French market by storm, HHC was banned by the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM).

You might be wondering what exactly HHC is, what its history is, what its effects are, and why it was banned. We'll explain everything you need to know about this semi-synthetic molecule.

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HHC and its derivatives are banned in France

The decision was announced on June 12, 2023: HHC is now classified as a narcotic. As such, its sale and consumption are prohibited.

Health Minister François Braun spoke about this on France Inter radio a month before the announcement of the HHC ban. After highlighting the psychotropic and addictive effects of HHC, he pointed out a "classification gap" surrounding HHC. A gap he wanted to close by banning the sale of the product1]

Whether in the form of flowers, resins, infusions, or even candies, HHC and its derivatives, HHCO and HHCP, are now illegal in all their forms. However, HHC is not illegal in the form of its metabolite, 10-OH HHC. This is the molecule that HHC becomes when it is processed by liver enzymes.

What is HHC?

HHC, or hexahydrocannabinol, is a hydrogenated form of THC. It occurs naturally in trace amounts in the seeds and flowers of certain Cannabis sativa varieties. However, it can also be synthesized in the laboratory from natural cannabis extract, which is why it is considered a semi-synthetic molecule.

Chemically, tetrahydrocannabinol becomes hexahydrocannabinol through the addition of two hydrogen atoms. This process makes the molecule more robust and stable. Its hydrogen saturation renders it virtually indestructible, unlike THC. As a reminder, THC can degrade, losing all its hydrogen atoms and becoming cannabinol (CBN).

The effects of HHC

Althoughno comprehensive and in-depth study has been carried out on HHC, its chemical structure and some minor studies have allowed us to understand part of its action and function.

Like its cousin from which it is derived, HHC binds to CB1 receptors, but its action is weaker than that of THC. It therefore produces roughly the same effects in smaller quantities.

Like him, he provokes:

• Psychoactive and psychotropic effects
• An analgesic, anti-stress and inhibitory action.
• Appetite stimulation.

Like THC, it is also responsible for a number of harmful, potentially dangerous effects. According to the ANSM (French National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety), HHC consumption leads to risks such as: "tremors, vomiting, anxiety, 'bad trip,' mental confusion, malaise, tachycardia, chest pain, and a spike in blood pressure." It also presents a "risk of abuse and dependence, like cannabis" [2]. It is these health risks, explained by the similarity between THC and HHC, that led the ANSM to classify the substance as a narcotic.

Why ban it after more than a year on the market?

In France, for an unknown molecule to be classified as a narcotic, the authorities must conduct a number of analyses on the product's toxicity, the risks associated with its consumption, and its potential therapeutic effects. This particular molecule, having experienced a relatively meteoric rise in popularity, was able to spread rapidly before health authorities had carried out the necessary tests. Thus, since its introduction to the French market in 2022, the compound was available for sale without restriction for just over a year.

As in France, HHC has been classified as a narcotic in a number of European countries, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. However, it is important to note that there is currently no European-level regulation concerning HHC; its legality and status therefore depend on each individual government.

The story behind HHC

HHC was first synthesized in 1947 by researcher Roger Adams and his team. The group of American scientists aimed to isolate the three best-known cannabinoids from hemp (CBD, CBN , and THC) in checkout to study them.

After several unsuccessful attempts to isolate THC, the group decided to try hydrogenation. Like the previous attempts, this one failed, but as every cloud has a silver lining, it wasn't entirely useless: they succeeded in synthesizing HHC. Despite this discovery, the research group would never manage to isolate THC. This feat would only be accomplished 20 years later by the Israeli researcher Raphael Meshulam, who thus entered the annals of history.

Hydrogenation: a dangerous process?

The hydrogenation of a molecule is a process known since the 19th century. It is commonly used in the food industry to make margarine and many other everyday consumer products. The process is therefore safe, but there are still risks. If the synthesis is not controlled and carried out according to regulations, traces of heavy metals and solvents may be found in the product. However, it was not the hydrogenation of THC that led to the prohibition of HHC, but rather its addictive effect.

Banned immediately, replaced immediately

Now you know everything there is to know about HHC and why it was banned. However, as the Minister of Health stated during his appearance on France Inter radio, it's a product that "fills a gap in the market." With HHC banned, this "gap" is once again vacant, so naturally other products like H4CBD, THCP, and THCV have tried to replace it. But ultimately, they met the same fate; all these molecules were banned. And once again, others have emerged, called CBDP and THM.