HHC

What is HHC?
HHC – Hexahydrocannabinol is made from hemp derived THC and converted to CBD then homogenized into HHC distillate. HHC offers a hemp-derived cannabinoid experience that's not actually THC.

The HHC distillate hemp-derived cannabinoid has a lot of potential for consumers looking for a new high. Among the wave of hemp-derived cannabinoids sweeping the country—delta 8 THC, D8 THCO and delta-10 THC among them—few have eluded public understanding more than HHC.

How will I feel if I consume HHC?
There is only anecdotal evidence surrounding HHC distillate. Consumers have said HHC distillate offers a pleasant and mildly cerebral high, with some pain relief. Hemp-derived HHC distillate isn’t THC, but it offers a similar experience with less psychoactivity. HHC distillate can have THC-like effects on the body and mind, but HHC distillate is less potent, milligram-per-milligram, than delta-8 THC. Delta-8 THC is itself generally regarded as about half as potent as the standard delta-9 THC.

Is HHC considered THC?
Making legal sense of HHC distillate is complicated because it’s so new on the market. As state and federal agencies continue to ban delta-8 THC, the most popular hemp-derived cannabinoid, HHC distillate offers a bit more legal promise—and appeal—since it’s not actually a THC compound at all.  And because it’s not THC, HHC distillate may become one of the fastest growing products due to regulations that have banned Delta-8 and other THC products. That could change in the future, but right now HHC is not regulated and would be legal under the 2018 Farm Bill since it's derived from hemp and not cannabis. 

How is HHC Created?
HHC is created through a process known as hydrogenation. It converts THC to hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) and is then finalized as HHC distillate. You may have heard of hydrogenation since it isn’t limited to cannabinoid production. A similar process is used to convert vegetable oil to margarine.

The process begins with hemp, the low-THC cannabis plant that was made federally legal by Congress in the 2018 farm bill. First, CBD is extracted from raw hemp, distilled, and isolated in a powder form. From there, things get a little more complicated. Hemp-derived CBD acts as the base for the process that creates HHC. HHC manufacturing takes place inside a chemical reactor. It goes in as CBD and comes out as an HHC oil that is dark gold and ready for refining. Labs must be well equipped because there is potential risk with explosions. It must be made in an explosion-proof space where everything is grounded and there is no risk for static discharge.

Will HHC Distillate show up on a drug test?
There is no hard evidence that HHC distillate will not show up on a drug test for marijuana. Don’t bet your job or career on anecdotal evidence.

Is HHC Safe to Use?
Like any of the new hemp-derived cannabinoids, there is no known serving size and little to no research on the immediate or long-term effects of HHC distillate ingestion.

Because hemp-derived cannabinoids (including HHC) are not subject to cannabis regulations in legal adult-use states, HHC distillate product makers and retailers are not required to test their products for potency and purity.  Fresh Bros always tests their raw material and finished products for potency and safety. You can find the COAs on our website under Lab Results tab.

A lab test should show the ratio of 9R HHC (the molecule that actively binds to the body’s natural endocannabinoid receptors), and 9S HHC in the test. 9R HHC is the one responsible for the psychoactive properties of this little-known cannabinoid.

Is HHC Legal?
Since HHC is found in the seeds and pollen of hemp plants, it is considered by some to be non-synthetic and a perfectly federally legal hemp extraction. Other experts are more skeptical. They believe that HHC is subject to the Federal Analogue Act, which states that any substance analogous to a Schedule I drug—in this case, conventional THC—would itself qualify as a Schedule I drug. Since THC remains illegal, HHC would be illegal too.

For the moment, HHC distillate products exist in a grey area between hemp (which is legal nationwide) and cannabis (which is not). Until HHC distillate comes under a state-regulated system, consumers will need to weigh the risks and benefits of these compounds for themselves.