Neo-cannabinoids and legislation in European countries 2026

After the ban on HHC in France, a new generation of neo-cannabinoids emerged: THCP, H3CBN, THCV, HHCPO… After almost exactly one year, they were also banned in France and in several European countries.

But since banning a compound does not stem demand and manufacturers are never short of imagination, they have in turn been replaced by other cannabinoids.

The world of cannabinoids is evolving very quickly. So here's a quick overview of the cannabinoids that will be legal and those that will be banned in 2026.

A brief history of the synthetic cannabinoid trade in Europe

Contrary to what one might think, the marketing of synthetic cannabinoids in Europe is not so new. It even predates the marketing of CBD in France. Indeed, the UN's monitoring body for emerging psychoactive substances, the UNODC, informs us that the first synthesis of a THC derivative marketed in the United States and "other countries" dates back to 1988.[1] This is the molecule named HU-210.

After this first commercial synthesis, several other cannabinoids of varying complexity were created. Mixed or sprayed onto different herbal blends, they became known by names such as “Spice” Gold, Silver or Diamond, “K2”, “Bliss”, “Black Mamba”, “Bombay Blue”, “Blaze”, “Genie”, “Zohai”, “JWH-018, -073, -250”, “Kronic”, “Yucatan Fire”, “Skunk”, “Moon Rocks”, “Mr. Smiley”…

These herbal mixtures enjoyed relative success in the 2000s and 2010s in several European countries, particularly in Germany and Spain.

Until a study published in 2011 revealed the compound's toxicity. This study concluded that one of the cannabinoids present in the mixture "could cause seizures and tachyarrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)." Furthermore, a 2010 review of clinical reports revealed that this mixture causes the same addiction and withdrawal symptoms as cannabis.

Finally, a third analysis of the cannabinoids present in “spice” highlights “the increasing number of suicide reports associated with the prior use of these products”.

Logically, following these studies, European countries that had not yet done so banned these herbal mixtures based on synthetic. Nine of these countries even adopted legislation to that effect [1].

 

 

The advent of CBD and its derivatives

Following the ban on synthetic cannabinoids derived from THC, CBD emerged. Available online since the 2000s-2010s, it was after 2015 that CBD experienced real commercial development and acquired the corresponding renown.

However, CBD does not meet the needs of a segment of the market seeking recreational products with psychotropic and psychoactive effects. This is where CBD derivatives come into play and capture public attention.

Taking advantage of the legal grey areas concerning CBD and its derivatives, and more broadly of the legislation dealing with new chemical molecules, HHC has spread rapidly in Europe.

 

Then, HHC was banned in several countries:

• In France, Belgium and the United Kingdom in June 2023
• In Italy and Sweden in July 2023
• In Luxembourg, along with all synthetic cannabinoids, on August 1, 2023
• In Austria and the Czech Republic in March 2023
• In Lithuania, Poland and Slovenia, in November 2022
• In Finland, Switzerland and Estonia, in April 2023
• In Germany in June 2024

Countries such as Belgium, England, Ireland, Scotland, Austria, Poland, Estonia, Finland and Bulgaria have not explicitly banned these products, but practice restrictive legislation regarding compounds similar to THC and HHC, which de facto makes these compounds illegal.

In summary, most countries that have banned HHC have also banned cannabinoids that came after.

 

After HHC: European countries that banned neocannabinoids in 2024.

Austria, Belgium, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and France banned HHC in 2023.Nearly a year later, cannabinoids "formed from a benzo[c]chromene-type chemical nucleus" were added to the list of banned cannabinoids in France. These include:

• Minor cannabinoids close to THC: THCP (Delta-p), THCB, THCJD, THCH, THCV (beyond 0.3%).
• Hydrogenated cannabinoids: H3CBN, H4CBD and H2CBD
• Acetylated cannabinoids: THCPO, HHCPO

This decision, announced in France in May 2024, was followed or preceded by several European countries. This same list of cannabinoids has also become illegal .

• In Germany in June 2024
• In Denmark and Sweden in January 2024
• In the Czech Republic in February 2024
• In Italy in July 2023

Countries like Belgium, England, Ireland, Scotland, Austria, Poland, Estonia, Finland, and Bulgaria had restrictive legislation regarding compounds similar to THC and HHC, effectively making these compounds illegal. Since 2026, all of these countries have decided to enshrine the prohibition of these compounds in law, thereby formally classifying these molecules.

In summary, after the near-total ban on HHC in Europe, all minor cannabinoids close to THC, hydrogenated cannabinoids and acetylated compounds are now generally prohibited.

2025: New legal cannabinoids in France

As we've said, prohibition doesn't curb demand, and as long as there's demand, there's always a supply to meet it. Following the bans on THCP, THCB, THCJD, THCH, THCV, H3CBN, H4CBD, H2CBD, THCPO, and HHCPO, a whole new generation of drugs emerged.

Discover our legal CBD derivatives

HHC metabolites

A new product line is based on HHC byproducts. These are molecules resulting from the breakdown of HHC by liver cytochrome P450 enzymes. They are 10-OH-HHCand 8-OH-HHC.

Muscimole products

Muscimol is an alkaloid. It is one of the two psychoactive molecules in the fly agaric mushroom. The second, ibotenic acid, is neurotoxic.

CBD-derived molecules

For example, there is CBDP, a minor natural cannabinoid, which is as close to CBD as THCP is to THC.

Cannabinoid Mixes

They represent the largest number of new products. However, unlike older, potentially dangerous but clearly identified molecules, most cannabinoid mixes have an opaque composition. Among them are:

• THM: The hot mix, is a blend of CBD, CBDP, CBG, CBC and CBN
• THCN : This consists of CBD flowers infused in a CBN isolate
• MCPN : a blend of natural cannabinoids (CBN, CBDA, CBG, CBGA, CBN, and CBC)
• MCPB : it contains the same ingredients as MCPN, but also 10-OH-HHC and/or 8-OH-HHC
• HPE CBD : a mixture of unknown composition
• CBDX : a mixture of unknown composition
• THV N10 : an unknown mixture or molecule
• CB9 : an unknown mixture or molecule
• CBG9 : a mixture of unknown composition

2026: HHC banned internationally and uncertainty still persists

As every year, the 2026 overview of cannabinoid legality in Europe is marked by an increase in prohibitions. HHC, previously regulated individually by each country, has been classified as a narcotic at the international level : the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs voted for its inclusion in March 2025, a decision that came into effect on December 6, 2025. From now on, HHC is only authorized for research purposes. This classification was followed by a ban on the sale of HHC in the Netherlands, which remained one of the last countries to still offer it.

In France, as in most European Union countries, CBD derivatives that emerged following the ban on THCP and its analogues, HHC byproducts (10-OH-HHC and 8-OH-HHC), cannabinoid mixes, and CBD-derived molecules have not, to date, been subject to a firm ban, with the notable exception of Italy. Italy, which had opened the sale of CBD as early as 2016 before progressively restricting it from 2019 onwards through a series of decrees and court decisions, has since significantly tightened its regulations, even going so far as to reclassify oral CBD as a medicine.

Spain, Portugal, Germany: decriminalization to better control consumption

While most European countries are expanding their bans on cannabinoids, the market continues to grow. Manufacturers are constantly finding ways to circumvent the various regulations, offering products with unclear compositions that cannot guarantee genuine safety.

After more than 60 years of war on drugs, France remains one of the European countries with the highest number of regular cannabis users.

Faced with this situation, Spain, Portugal and Germany have taken the opposite approach: decriminalizing cannabis in checkout to control its consumption, and trying to protect consumers by focusing on prevention rather than repression.

Given these varied approaches, the question remains open: are decriminalization and regulation more effective solutions than outright prohibition for controlling theusaof neo-cannabinoids in Europe ? Only the future and legislative developments in the coming years will provide answers.

In any case, keep checking our blog regularly to make sure you're up-to-date with all the latest news in the world of CBD !