HHC, a cannabinoid as powerful as morphine

For the time being, Americans can buy it freely over the Internet or in stores. Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) is gradually catching on with consumers. This craze is driven by brands, who point to a legal vacuum born of the legalization of hemp in 2018. Problem: this minor cannabinoid is not approved by any ISO standard or certificate of analysis. What's more, it is potentially very potent.

HHC is a compound found in small quantities in cannabis. Its chemical base is similar to THC, except that it has two extra carbon atoms. To create HHC, you need to add hydrogen to THC. THC. A process known as hydrogenation.

But it's not as simple as taking a pipette and adding hydrogen to a cannabis plant, the same way you turn oil into margarine. For HHC, it's a little more complicated than that. To obtain it, the chemical reaction takes place in a laboratory, often involving heavy metals.

Unfriendly methods

«HHC is not a molecule you can easily come across on a cannabis plantation. The chemical reactions to obtain it are so far removed from a cannabiculturist's classic manipulation, there's no common ground between the two.», warns Dr Markus Roggen, head of Delic Labs, quoted by Cannabis Life Network.

In addition to these disrespectful methods, there are no standards or certificates giving HHC the green light. It is therefore sold freely, without being independently tested. The Binoid brand, for example, ensures that «Each product is tested five times before being sent to a third-party laboratory. We test every sample to make sure it meets our standards». However, there is no mention of a standard set by an agency protecting public health.

Add to this the fact that HHC is consumed exclusively as an e-liquid, a consumption method that has already been adopted by many consumers. pinned for undesirable substances, and you get a natural 100 % cocktail. Or not.

Equivalent to morphine, or close to THC?

The other main risk associated with HHC is its potential potency. A 1977 study even considered it to be 1000% more potent than THC. It is said to be equivalent to morphine, although the effects differ. HHC is in fact very close to «Spice», the super-powerful synthetic cannabinoid developed by the giant Pfizer in the 1980s. Today, it is considered roughly equivalent to THC in terms of potency.

The truth is, we know very little. Even HHC dealers don't know much about what they're selling. « There are no definitive long-term studies on the effect of HHC».», in black and white Binoid, in its product description. In the comments, customers speak of a «so close to THC that it is impossible to detect the difference».», of «soft and soothing» or even «super relaxing».

Will HHC remain on the market for long? As we've seen with Delta-8-THC, minor cannabinoids surfing on a legal loophole never last long. D8 was very popular, and even celebrated by the New York Times. But the tide has turned in just a few months, and several American states already ban it.

The HHC is legal in France for the time being, until it is classified as a narcotic and banned.