UN votes to ban HHC

The United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) ) has officially decided to register the’hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) at schedule II of the 1971 convention on psychotropic substances.

This decision, taken at the 68th session in Vienna, prohibits the non-medical use of hexahydrocannabinol in the 184 signatory countries of the agreement.

The HHC classification aligns it with substances such as cannabis and methamphetamine. As a result, governments must now set up licensing systems for the production, distribution and research, Unauthorized possession or sale may result in criminal penalties.

An almost unanimous decision, with one American abstention

The decision required two-thirds majority, or at least 36 votes in favor. In the end, a large number of countries supported the ban. United States having refrained from vote. Visit France, Germany, the UK, Canada, Brazil, China, Japan and South Africa, among others, voted in favor of the ban.

The American delegation abstains raised a few eyebrows, especially considering the country's ongoing fight against «intoxicating substances in hemp» unregulated.

According to the U.S. representatives, hemp is already regulated by national laws, although its legal status in the U.S. is still uncertain. federal level remains ambiguous. At present, the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) does not explicitly mention hemp, which leaves its classification open to interpretation in the context of the 2018 farm bill.

The rapid spread and regulation of HHC

HHC, a semi-synthetic cannabinoid, has established itself as a legal alternative to delta-9 THC since 2022. According to the’European Medicines Agency (EUDA)), HHC was detected in 70% from EU member states and is monitored as part of the early warning system (EWS) since October 2022.

WHO recommendation to ban HHC cites public health concerns, stating that it «poses a public health risk and has no recognized therapeutic use».

Some argue that the lack of sufficient research makes the decision premature.

According to a European drug survey conducted in 2024, 14% of those surveyed have used synthetic cannabinoids in the past year, ranking them among the most widely consumed substances in the EU.

Divergent international responses

While many governments have welcomed the UN's decision, others have adopted a different approach. more cautious approach.

The Czech Republic was opposed to an immediate ban on HHC, opting instead for a « under review »as part of its new law on mood-altering substances. This framework provides for evaluation period from two years to assess potential risks and benefits new psychoactive substances. Visit Czech Rational Addiction Policy Think Tank openly criticized the CND's decision, arguing that the WHO's risk assessment was inadequate and lacked scientific rigor.

Meanwhile, in Ireland, calls for a total ban on HHC have intensified. Addiction specialists and religious leaders claim that the substance has contributed to an increase in drug-induced psychosis among young people. Dr. Bobby Smyth, a leading child psychiatrist, has declared that HHC is now «the second leading cause of drug-induced psychosis» in the country, without corroborating figures.