HHC: Where Is It Legal? State By State List

Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) is a fascinating cannabinoid that has already earned a high reputation for behaving similarly to delta 9 THC, the only cannabinoid in the hemp plant that is prohibited under federal law.  As a psychoactive compound, it gets users high whether vaped, administered sublingually, or consumed in the form of a gummy. 

Also, because HHC and HHC products are intoxicating, it makes sense that many people aren’t sure as to whether or not it’s even legal. When it comes to hemp and its many cannabinoids, things can get tricky legally speaking.  Hexahydrocannabinol is such a new compound to the market that most lawmakers haven’t even heard about it, let alone drafted legislation pertaining to it. 

To buy HHC Products Click Here

But, for the time-being, HHC is a cannabinoid that most in America can legally access and try out for themselves in order to explore its effects. In terms of buying HHC products online such as vape cartridges, HHC tinctures, capsules, and wax dabs, click on the link below.

What is HHC?

HHC is a brand new compound that is hemp-derived, similar to Delta 8 THC, Delta-10, THC-O, CBD, CBN and more! It is studied that when Delta 9 THC is metabolized in the body it converts into HHC. That would mean you would feel the effects of HHC, not the Delta-9 directly. Therefore, when HHC distillate is used in HHC products, you can expect to receive the same effects of Delta-9 with HHC. HHC distillate comes from CBN isolate. 

Is HHC Legal?

Hexahydrocannabinol is a federally legal cannabinoid due to the 2018 Farm Bill.  For anyone out there who doesn’t know, this piece of legislation determined that hemp is a legal substance, and that its cannabinoids and other derivatives can be sold legally as long as no hemp product contains more than 0.3% delta 9 THC.  HHC is not delta 9, nor does it contain delta-9, which means that HHC is technically a federally protected cannabinoid. As well, HHC is not an analog of THC. Therefore, HHC products would be legal under current statutes. 

Is HHC Legal in Your State? Here is a HHC State by State Legal List

There have been no laws on a state level that have referred to hexahydrocannabinol, because HHC has barely even hit the market.  However, some states have banned delta 8 and other alternative forms of THC.  It’s tricky with HHC, as HHC is technically not a THC compound like delta 8 or delta 10.  Still, to be on the safe side, we will assume that states which prohibit delta 8 will also prohibit HHC.

• Alabama: HHC is legal in Alabama
• Alaska: HHC might be illegal in Alaska
• Arizona: HHC might be illegal in Arizona
• Arkansas: HHC might be illegal in Arkansas
• California: HHC is legal in California
• Colorado: HHC might be illegal in Colorado
• Connecticut: HHC is legal in Connecticut
• Delaware: HHC might be illegal in Delaware
• Florida: HHC is legal in Florida
• Georgia: HHC is legal in Georgia
• Hawaii: HHC is legal in Hawaii
• Idaho: HHC might be illegal in Idaho
• Illinois: HHC is legal in Illinois
• Indiana: HHC is legal in Indiana
• Iowa: HHC might be illegal in Iowa
• Kansas: HHC is legal in Kansas
• Kentucky: HHC is legal in Kentucky
• Louisiana: HHC is legal in Louisiana
• Maine: HHC is legal in Maine
• Maryland: HHC is legal in Maryland
• Massachusetts: HHC is legal in Massachusetts
• Michigan: HHC is legal in Michigan
• Minnesota: HHC is legal in Minnesota
• Mississippi: HHC might be illegal in Mississippi
• Missouri: HHC is legal in Missouri
• Montana: HHC might be illegal in Montana
• Nebraska: HHC is legal in Nebraska
• Nevada: HHC is legal in Nevada
• New Hampshire: HHC is legal in New Hampshire
• New Jersey: HHC is legal in New Jersey
• New Mexico: HHC is legal in New Mexico
• New York: HHC might be illegal in New York
• North Carolina: HHC is legal in North Carolina
• North Dakota: HHC is legal in North Dakota
• Ohio: HHC is legal in Ohio
• Oklahoma: HHC is legal in Oklahoma
• Oregon: HHC is legal in Oregon
• Pennsylvania: HHC is legal in Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island: HHC might be illegal in Rhode Island 
• South Carolina: HHC is legal in South Carolina
• South Dakota: HHC is legal in South Dakota
• Tennessee: HHC is legal in Tennessee
• Texas: HHC is legal in Texas
• Utah: HHC might be illegal in Utah
• Vermont: HHC is legal in Vermont
• Virginia: HHC is legal in Virginia
• Washington: HHC is legal in Washington
• West Virginia: HHC is legal in West Virginia
• Wisconsin: HHC is legal in Wisconsin
• Wyoming: HHC is legal in Wyoming 

In other words, HHC might be illegal in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New York, Rhode Island, and Utah.  In all other states, it is legal, but bear in mind that this is subject to change if state legislators determine that it should be classified as a controlled substance.  Therefore, before taking hhc, you should always check with state laws, as laws regarding cannabis are prone to sudden change.

Hexahydrocannabinol is likely legal in most states across the country, which means that the majority of American hemp users are free to explore its effects through the various product forms that the cannabinoid comes in.  Of course, before you purchase HHC, you should check with your state laws to make sure that the cannabinoid has not been banned since the time during which this article was written.

The FDA’s Role In HHC

Presently, the FDA has not yet regulated hemp products, even though they are legal.  What this means is that there could come a time when the FDA creates its own guidelines on FDA that are technically not part of state or federal law.  At the moment, hemp products are sold in an unregulated market, which means that companies can essentially do whatever they want when producing hemp-based goods.  This is largely why we have such an enormous selection of product types to choose from when looking for CBD and other hemp derivatives.

This means that for the time-being, you can legally buy HHC products (assuming that it is legal in your state) that has not been created with industry regulations.  This is a good thing in that it gives us a wider variety of products to choose from.  But, it also means that you have to be careful when making a purchase, to know for a fact that what you are getting is not just legitimate, but also high in quality and free of impurities and toxic substances that dilute the product formula.

The DEA and Hemp Companies

The United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is known to change their minds regularly, and many hemp companies producing hhc products have been on pins and needles wondering whether or not their operations will get shut down due to a sudden change in legal status.  The problem with hhc is that it’s becoming more popular, which is good for companies, but also draws more attention to the compound, which can lead to more attention from the DEA themselves. 

If they decide that hhc is becoming a social concern, they may end up putting it on the list of controlled substances, which would harm hemp companies that are simply complying with the law by deriving hhc from hemp through completely legal means according to the 2018 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill does explicitly state that all hemp cannabinoids are legal.  However, the DEA is often capable of overriding federal law on a whim.  

The DEA though may wrongfully accuse hemp companies of making synthesized hhc, as the methods used to produce it could be mistaken for ones that rely on synthetic means.  This is why hemp companies are already preparing to defend themselves.  Ultimately, the extraction methods used are natural-based, meaning that they do not result in synthesized THC in any way.

Can HHC Result in a Failed Drug Test?

Now, let’s get back into the practicalities regarding HHC.  One question that we’ve been getting ever since CBD hit the scene is whether or not hemp can cause you to fail a drug test.  Well, here’s where it gets interesting.  Hemp as a whole, in the form of flower or full spectrum hemp, will not usually cause a failed drug test.  This is because the amount of THC, including both delta 8 and delta 9, is so low in hemp that it won’t even register. This means that HHC products will trigger a drug that. That we know. 

However, the interesting thing about HHC is that it is not a THC, and is therefore not drug tested the same way as the other products. What this means, is theoretically, HHC will NOT show up on a THC drug test. That is a big deal for military members, and other people in jobs and careers that cannot use THC for medical relief. 

How HHC Products Are Made

To take the hemp plant and produce from it HHC concentrate, companies can choose a few different ways.  

Method #1:Extraction

Manually isolating the HHC compound from the hemp’s composition and extract it to create a concentrate.  As you can imagine, extracting a compound that is present in less than 0.1 percent of the plant’s entire makeup is tedious and expensive, because an enormous amount of plant material must be used to produce a fair amount of extract.

Method #2: Rearranging Compounds

Becoming increasingly popular and a bit more complex, although less expensive overall.  HHC is an isomer of cannabinol (CBN).  This means that the molecules in each compound have the same atoms, only they are organized differently.  Companies have found ways to rearrange these atoms in order to turn cannabidiol compounds into delta 8 and other compounds.  What’s unique about this process is that it’s also much more “sound” in terms of its legality.  CBN is known to be a largely safe substance, and by using molecular chemistry to turn it into HHC, you’re helping to break the association to delta 9 THC. 

Can HHC Be Discovered on a Lab Test by Law Enforcement?

Another concern that many have is that HHC may be read if analyzed by a lab.  Let’s say a cop pulls you over and discovers your HHC vape oil.  Then, they confiscate it and test it to see whether or not it’s legal.  Again, as stated before, because HHC and HHC products are not a THC that means it will likely not spike anything on a drug test.

For now, it looks like you can carry HHC products without worry. However, this does not mean using the products irresponsibility. Still do not operate machinery after taking HHC. 

Guide for Using HHC Legally

After learning all of this about HHC, you might be ready to dive into it, but want to make sure that you do so with as little a risk of legal repercussion as possible.  Let’s walk you through the steps of using HHC safely and legally.

Tip #1: Make Sure Your State Allows It

The first thing that you need to do is make sure that your state does allow HHC according to law.  Now, like we said, state law can change at any time.  This means that just because it was legal in your state six months ago doesn’t mean that it still is.  

Tip #2: Ensure It’s Hemp-Derived 

HHC must come from the hemp plant to be considered legal.  This is because the hemp bill is not considered a classified substance as marijuana is.  So, ensure that the company you’re buying from uses the hemp plant to stay within legal limits.

Tip #3: Find Out the Extraction Method Used

Another thing to do is find out how the HHC was extracted by the company that you plan to buy from.  If you cannot find info on their website, contact them yourself.  The FDA has not regulated HHC, nor any other hemp products. Therefore, be careful of the quality of HHC distillate and the safety of products you buy online. 

Tip #4: Look for a Lab Analysis

Next, look for a lab analysis.  Any good company producing HHC products wants to prove their legitimacy, and so they will provide a third-party lab report to customers.  This means that they had their HHC tested by an unbiased facility.  When looking at this lab report, make sure that it contains pure HHC at high percentages.

Tip #5: Be Mindful of When and Where You Use it

Finally, make a point to use HHC responsibly.  Even though it may be legal in your state, law enforcement may be confused by what it is and decide that you’re using an illegal substance.  While technically they may be in the wrong, it’s not worth the hassle of having to explain yourself.  Further, many law enforcement officials don’t even know what HHC is, and so they might not believe you when you explain to them that it’s a federally legal substance.

In Closing

The history of HHC is quite complicated, and it’s barely been on the market for half of a year.  What’s important is that you know whether or not HHC is legal where you live and stay up to date with ever-changing laws regarding its use, both on a state level and on a federal level.

Looking to buy HHC in your state? Click here!