Scandinavian countries in Europe are taking steps to stop the sale of psychoactive compounds derived from the cannabis plant – the latest being hexahydrocannabinol (HHC).
According to the chief inspector at the Finnish Medicines Agency (Fimea), Katja Pehlinen, HHC products have flooded Europe and made their way to Finland. She said Finland recently classified HHC as a psychoactive substance banned for sale in the consumer market, and Sweden is following suit with its own plans to ban the compound.
Finnish paper Yell Reports indicate that Pihlainen indicated that the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Addiction (EMCDDA) and its member state agencies are concerned about the appearance of HHC products on the European market. This prompts individual governments to take action. Part of the hype has to do with the unknowns of vaporized “new” compounds, which in some cases caused effects different from those of taking the compound.
Finland has already made changes. “Burning it or vaporizing it can make it more harmful. We don’t know how that affects the body,” Pihlainen said. HHC first became popular in the United States, Pihlainen added, after the 2018 Farm Bill legalized industrial hemp containing up to to 0.3 percent THC, because the law did not explicitly address cannabinoid-derived psychoactive cannabinoids such as Delta-8 or HHC.
Finland is taking the lead on this issue. If you want to ban HHC as a drug, all countries must do so separately. Or start doing it some other way, if you want to organize it. Yell.
EMCDDA explained why they target cannabinoid-derived compounds such as HHC. “HHC is sold openly as a ‘legal’ alternative to THC and cannabis in a range of highly glamorous branded and unbranded products – some of which are sold as ‘legal highs.’ These include cannabis sprayed or mixed with HHC – which looks and smells like “Original” cannabis — as well as e-cigarettes and eating. Marketing and advertising often draw direct comparisons of the effects of THC and cannabis,” EMCDDA Document explained.
The sale and possession of drugs is strictly prohibited in Finland, including cannabis and hashish. “Anyone in possession of drugs, including hashish, risks arrest, expulsion from the country, or imprisonment,” the government States. “Drug trafficking carries severe penalties. Please note that mail deliveries from abroad are regularly checked by Finnish customs, and a person who receives a mail delivery including any type of drug (including medicine) runs the risk of a penalty.”
Other Scandinavian countries are likely to follow Finland. According to Pihlainen, Sweden has also begun a process to ban HHC.
What is HHC?
While delta-8-THC and other cannabinoids derived from cannabinoids are considered “new” in terms of popularity, HHC was first synthesized in the 1940’s by Roger Adams. Use Adams delta-9 THC found in hemp and modify it to make HHC.
Adams and his team of students made discoveries that led to major scientific advances. In 1940, Adams identified and manufactured CBD. Other discoveries include showing CBD’s relationship with cannabinol (CBN) and THC. He has also synthesized CBN and THC analogues, including HHC.
Not all cannabinoids derived from hemp are the same. The vans are said to be HHC more stronger of traditional THC products, such as delta-8 and delta-9 THC, which may provide users with a stronger and more euphoric high.
But the growing call for a crackdown on cannabis that is not fully understood could pose a problem for the long-term sustainability of the psychoactive cannabis market. HHC is rarely dealt with specifically, but it is likely that countries that have cracked down on delta-8 THC and similar products will eventually go after HHC as well.
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