HHC legality Ireland – May 2024

In the Republic of Ireland as of May 9th 2024 Hexahydrocannabinol is not currently a controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations.

In the United Kingdom, HHC would likely be considered illegal under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016. Although HHC is covered by the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 in the UK, it is not explicitly listed in the legislation. As a result, penalties associated with HHC may be less severe compared to other, explicitly mentioned substances like for example THC.

Several European countries have banned the sale of HHC in 2023.[19][verification needed]

In Austria, HHC has been banned since 23 March 2023 due to the amendment of the New Psychoactive Substances Ordinance(known in German as Neue-Psychoaktive-Substanzen-Verordnung or NPSV).[20]

In France, the ANSM announced the ban on production, sale and use of HHC and two of its derivatives, HHCO and HHCP, from 13 June 2023.[21][19]

HHC has been banned in Sweden since 11 July 2023, and in Italy since 28 July 2023.[22]

In Luxembourg, Ministry of Health announced on 1 August 2023 that HHC would be regulated in that country by extending its list of psychotropic substances from 2009 to all “synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists” and “synthetic cannabinomimetics [sic]”, with semi-synthetic cannabinoids such as HHC falling within the scope of that regulation.[23]

HHC has been banned in Lithuania since 23 November 2022, and in Slovenia since 15 November 2023.[24]

HHC has been banned in the Czech Republic since 6 March 2024.[25]

In Germany, manufacture and sale of products containing HHC and other synthetically produced cannabinoids, such as THCP and HHCP, became outlawed on 27 June 2024 (possession and consumption of those products remain legal). Previously, the German expert committee for narcotics had suggested that HHC be added to the annex of Novel Psychoactive Substances Act (NpSG) [de] in a meeting on 4 December 2023.[26] This recommendation was enacted by the Bundesrat on 14 June 2024, and was published in the Bundesgesetzblatt on 26 June.

In Russia, Deputy of the Moscow City Duma Darya Besedina sent a request on 1 March 2024 to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs to clarify the legal status of HHC, HHCP and THCP in Russia. According to the answer from the Ministry that Besedina published, HHC and HHCP are not prohibited in Russia, but THCP is banned.[27]

In Malta, Parliamentary Secretary of Reforms and Equality Rebecca Buttigieg announced on 27 September 2024 that “all HHC products will be banned from Maltese markets.”[28]

HHC has been banned in Poland as of 14 April 2023.