A semi-synthetic cannabinoid, hexahydrocannabinol (HHC), is now covered under Schedule II of the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances.
The CND is the policymaking body of the United Nations tasked with drug control and other related issues. It monitors the drug situation globally, develops strategies and recommends measures.
At the sixty-eighth session of the CND held in Vienna, Austria, the Commission placed hexahydrocannabinol under Schedule II of the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Schedule II lists substances that have a potential for abuse and may be useful in medical practice, but require strict control.
Under Schedule II, countries have responsibilities to limit the availability of listed substances to those needed for medical and scientific purposes. This includes controlling manufacture of such substances, their import and export, and ensuring proper storage and distribution.
What HHC?
Sometimes referred to as HXC, HHC is similar to the intoxicating cannabinoid Delta-9 THC. While a naturally occurring cannabinoid, HHC is only found in trace amounts. However, cannabidiol (CBD) can be manipulated through a chemical process called hydrogenation to create hexahydrocannabinol. HHC can produce effects similar to THC but potentially milder; although some users have also reported psychotic episodes. HHCs (there’s more than one type) were first synthesized in the 1940s.
One of the challenges associated with HHC is the lack of research that has been carried out on it. For example, any negative effects and issues associated with long-term use are not clear.
HHC has been gaining popularity as a potential alternative to THC, particularly in the USA, along with other novel cannabinoids. This has resulted from loopholes in laws relating to hemp; which is by legal definition low in Delta-9 THC, but can be high in cannabidiol that can be manipulated. The proliferation of products and their wide availability has had some states scrambling to introduce related laws to ban or tightly regulate them.
Results from a survey published last year indicated HHC users consume it quite frequently (~10 days during the past month) for various reasons, including managing anxiety and pain. Approximately 17% of respondents reported adverse effects, and ~20% of those who stopped using HHC went on to experience withdrawal symptoms.
