The main difference between HHC and THC is the duration of their effects. HHC produces effects that can last up to 12 hours, while the effects of THC only last a few hours. This makes HHC a better option for those who want lasting relief from their symptoms. HHC is a long-time relative of THC known to science, but until recently it wasn't discussed by cannabis users.
HHC is a minor cannabinoid; it is found naturally in cannabis, but in quantities that are too small for cost-effective extraction. Since commercial production of HHC has just taken off, it is not yet widely known. Chemically, HHC is different from THC because it has no double bonds in its chemical structure. During the “conversion process”, all the double bonds in THC are broken and replaced by hydrogen atoms.
This process is known as hydrogenation and creates HHC, the exact opposite molecule to CBN (cannabinol), a by-product of THC with additional double bonds. THC and HHC are two of the best-known cannabinoids found in cannabis. THC is the cannabinoid responsible for the psychoactive effects of the plant, while HHC is more potent, but not as well known. Both cannabinoids have therapeutic benefits, but THC has been further studied.
Legally speaking, THC is illegal in the United States, while HHC is currently not classified. This could change in the future. Chemically speaking, HHC includes a hydrogen molecule that THC does not contain. The main difference between HHC-O and Delta 9-THC is federal and state legality.
HHC-O is fully federally legal in 41 states, while Delta 9-THC is federally illegal and illegal in most states. Both HHC and Delta 9-THC produce euphoric and psychoactive effects on consumers and carry a wide variety of medical and recreational benefits. The other two methods are the hydrogenation of terpenes (such as citronellol) to HHC and the conversion of CBD to HHC with the aid of artificial gastric juice. The safety of HHC is generally unknown, but no cases of overdose or death due to the use of HHC or its products have been reported.
HHC is also the most stable form of THC, as it is super resistant to oxidation, heat and UV light, so you don't have to worry so much about your stash degrading and losing its potency. Among the wave of cannabinoids derived from hemp that is sweeping the country, delta 8 (THC), delta-O (THC) and delta-10 (THC), few have eluded public understanding more than HHC. High-strength homemade HHC gummies contain 25 mg of HHC per serving, making a total of 500 mg per pack of 20. User reports generally describe the HHC high as somewhere between delta 8 and delta 9 (THC).
In other words, HHC may have similar effects to THC on the body and mind, but HHC is less potent, milligram for milligram, than THC delta-8.As with other cannabinoids, the recent increase in interest in HHC does not match comprehensive studies on its safety and effects; much of the information available on HHC is speculative. Like THC delta 8 and THC delta 10, commercial HHC is made from hemp-derived CBD in a laboratory using chemical processes. HHC was first created in 1944 by the American chemist Roger Adams when he added hydrogen molecules to Delta-9 THC. Since the Agricultural Act legalizes products containing other cannabinoids from hemp as long as they do not exceed the 0.3% THC threshold, producers of HHC products insist that everything is correct.
As state and federal agencies continue to ban delta-8, the most popular hemp-derived cannabinoid, HHC offers a little more promise and legal appeal since it's actually not a THC compound at all. This appears to make HHC a legal hemp product and offers protection to manufacturers and sellers of HHC (and delta 8 and delta 10, THC, THC-O and THCP), although some lawyers point out that other federal courts could reach different conclusions. High-power active HHC is known as HHC 9R while low-power inactive HHC is known as HHC 9S. Both consumers and scientists note that HHC induces less potent and psychoactive effects than conventional delta-9.
