With the 2018 Farm Bill, the hemp industry has taken the keys to bring hundreds of lesser known cannabinoids into the spotlight, some of which are now in the market and ready to purchase.
While CBD is leading the charge, other hemp-derived cannabinoids like delta-8 THC, delta-10 THC, and THCO-A closely trail behind. Now, there is a new cannabinoid that is quickly catching up to the party. Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC), is a groundbreaking cannabinoid that is not only psychoactive, but also federally legal, making it what many claim as the perfect cannabinoid on the market.
Placing HHC as the top cannabinoid is a huge claim. In an interview with ACS Laboratories, Matthew Guenther, founder of the American Cannabinoid Association and Delta-8 Science, discusses in detail what HHC is, and what companies should be doing to produce the safest products possible.
What is HHC?
“HHC is a hemp derivative,” Guenther explains. “It also occurs naturally in small quantities in the cannabis and hemp plant, particularly in the pollen.”
Despite HHc’s recent rise in popularity, the cannabinoid has been known by the scientific community for quite some time. Many say the first discovery of HHC was around the 1940s.
HHC can be found in two different forms. The first form is its natural state in the pollen of cannabis plants. The second is through the hydrogenation of hemp-derived delta 8 THC.
How is HHC Made?
Guenther reports to ACS about how HHC is created. “There are a couple of different methodologies to hydrogenate delta-8 into HHC, and it usually requires metal as a catalyst. Some people are using expensive white metals, which are good catalysts, but those metals are expensive. That could be one of the reasons HHC is so costly in the marketplace right now.”
To put it even further, it is important to know the difference between delta 8 and delta 9 THC. Both of these compounds are similar except for the position of a double bond electron. To make HHC, you need to break apart the double bond in delta 8 and insert two hydrogen atoms.
HHC Chemical Structure
“If you compare HHC to CBN, you’ll see amazing similarities in their electron stability,” Guenther said. “They’re basically the same molecule, except CBN has alternating double bonds to make that ring system stable, while HHC is a similar structure with extra hydrogen molecules instead of the double bonds.”
Is HHC Legal?
“First, HHC is not a tetrahydrocannabinod, like delta-8, delta-9, delta-10 THC is.” Guenter explained. “This is a different chemical class. It’s known as hexahydrocannabinol.”
HHC is federally legal because of the 2018 Farm Bill. In the bill, all cannabis plants and products with less than 0.3% delta-9 THC by dry weight are federally legal and considered industrial hemp goods.
On the contrary, individual states have created laws that may prohibit the use of HHC. If you are interested in trying HHC for the first time, it is important to know whether or not HHC is legal to consume in your local area.
Should you be interested in HHC?
“At first glance, the layperson may not think there’s a substantial difference between delta-8 and HHC,” Guenter prefaced. “But when you get into the chemistry and the electron structures, these relatively small substitutions really impact the pharmacology. HHC is really the next generation of compounds that could have some significant clinical and medicinal potential moving forward.“
When HHC is manufactured, it is created as a mixture of diastereomers, or a combination of identical molecules that are incredibly difficult to differentiate. These HHC molecules practically come in a 50-50 mix. One is apparently more psychoactive than the other, but research suggests that both have great medical potential.
HHC Health and Safety
“No, but most labs aren’t prepared to test for HHC yet,” Guenter begins. “Additionally, not all lab producers and formulators are made the same. Some labs either don’t have the proper methodologies, or they don’t have access to the best reference standards to accurate potency results. The current challenge is that it’s new and it takes time to develop the proper methodologies in a proper fashion.”
“In terms of safety, producers need to make sure that conversion from CBD to delta-8 is as clean as possible. If you start with good, high-quality delta-8, the conversions you get running into HHC are pretty high-quality. Not many people are producing HHC right now, but the people I’ve encountered are doing it correctly, so that’s good news.”
“Then there’s the concern about creating accidental cannabinoid by-products in the manufacturing process. I will say this, in the HHC that I’ve seen tested on the market, it’s highly pure stuff. The hydrogenation process does its job well. I don’t see a lot of by-products; I don’t see a lot of other cannabinoids.”
Consuming HHC
“You have two full spectrum HHC products on the market right now; edibles and vape cartridges. I enjoy HHC as an edible myself, but I’ve got a lot of friends that swear by the vape cartridges.”
You can get both of these HHC products and more at Mints Marktet.
“I’m sure there are other innovations coming down the road as the price points go down. As brands start producing HHC commercially, you’ll start to see more and more people formulating with it, resulting in more and more products.”
HHC Effects
Guenter said, “Everybody’s biochemistry and neurology are unique, so some people maybe report more of an impact than others will. That said, HHC has a unique onset, different from both delta-8 and delta-9.”
“It has a more gradual onset followed by a calming and smooth experience, longer than delta-8 and shorter than delta-9. Many people state that it’s a less energetic feeling than delta-8, more cerebral, not as strong as delta-9, but a little more other-worldly as opposed to more clarity and focus. But I’ve personally heard others report the exact opposite and say that it is more of an energetic thing.”
Where to get HHC?
“I wouldn’t say very different. I don’t know if it would be life-altering one way or another, but the idea that you could smoke or ingest one batch in the form of your choosing.”
That being said, in an unregulated market, unless there are third party lab results, all cannabis product labels should be taken with a grain of salt.
HHC is sold online and locally. You can also purchase them now at Mints Market!
Conclusion
HHC can have a bright future ahead with more research. Until then, it is important to make sure the HHC you are using is backed by accredited labs. If you are looking to try HHC or enjoy HHC with a brand you can trust, visit Mints Market, your final stop for high quality hemp-derived products backed by third party testing facilities.
