Debra BorchardtHexahydrocannabinol, or HHC, has a psychoactive effect, albeit one that’s considered milder than regulated THC, leading some to call it “cannabis lite.” But what is it and why is it so popular?
The semi-synthetic product is created in a lab using hemp-derived CBD which is put through a chemical process called hydrogenation. That process gives the CBD extra hydrogen atoms, turning it into HHC.
But it hasn’t been well studied, nor has it been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It has, however, been included in the class of unregulated cannabis products sold over the counter to people of any age.
HHC is typically thought to give a stronger buzz than delta-8 or delta-10, leading to an effect association with regulated cannabis delta-9 highs. The psychoactive effects, though, are said to not last as long as a regulated THC cannabis high.
Manufacturers like it because it has a longer shelf life. According to CBD Living, delta-9 products have a shelf life of one to three years, while HHC can last up to five years.
The National Institute of Health found that trace heavy metals may remain after catalytic hydrogenation due to leaching or dissolution. The extent to which trace metals remain can vary based on the catalyst employed, the reaction conditions used, as well as the exact purification methods. The presence of residual heavy metals bears significant toxicity concerns.
Market size
Brightfield Group estimated that total hemp THC sales will be worth $3.5 billion. The cannabis data firm also noted that the U.S. market for psychoactive hemp-derived products, including delta-8, generated more than $2 billion in the past two years.
“Of this, we forecast that HHC constitutes 5.1% of total product sales, equivalent to $177 million in sales. 12.6% of hemp THC respondents reported that they were aware of HHC, much lower than the 64.4% seen for Delta-8. Roughly 56% of these respondents reported purchasing HHC in the past, with 20% having bought it multiple times,” Brightfield told Green Market Report.
Most sales of HHC occur in the Great Lakes states, including Indiana, Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, according to data from Management Science Associates (MSA). Sales have also been recorded in New Jersey, likely due to its proximity to Pennsylvania and New York. Indiana reported the highest sales of HHC by unit measurement, according to MSA. But it’s harder to determine the dollar size of the market.
Despite some recent slowing of HHC sales, MSA reported that 15% of the distributors it collects data from carry the products. Sales of HHC in the first nine months of 2023 fell 6% from the same period in 2022. At the sale time, sales of delta-8 products grew 58% and delta-10 products grew 57%.
Legality
Like its fellow intoxicating hemp club members, HHC lives in a gray legal zone. Hemp proponents say it falls under the 2018 Farm Bill making the products legal. However, many states have begun to outlaw these items citing the THC levels and that the products are often sold with no age restrictions.
According to World Population Review, the states where HHC is explicitly legal include:
In addition, several states - including Kansas, Missouri, New Hampshire, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming - do not explicitly say that it is legal, but the site said it is likely in those locations.
World Population Review notes that HHC is explicitly prohibited in Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, Utah and Washington state. The site continued, "While it is not explicitly stated, it is most likely illegal in Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Rhode Island and Vermont."
