NL-1 cannabinoid: effects, reviews and how it differs from NL3
By the Golden High teamUpdated 9 October 20269 min read
Novel cannabinoids
The NL-1 cannabinoid, also written NL1, is really a trade name: CBD shops in France use it for a novel cannabinoid made in a lab. Its formula has never been published, no scientific study describes it, and sellers paint opposite pictures of it: a stimulant “with no high” for some, close to THC for others. Here's what is claimed, what is established, and what sets it apart from NL3.
Amnesia Delta-P 12 %
Our most popular flower: a moderate, clearly stated level, a lemony profile, below 0.3% THC and lab-tested.
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Moon Rock Delta-P 20 %
Compact coated core, powdery surface, a spicy then lemony profile. A stated level, for those who already know the range.
From6,90 €View product →The definition
What is NL-1? A market name.
NL-1 doesn't appear in any chemical nomenclature. It's a trade name, which some shops spell out as “neo-cannabinoid 1”, and it has been on sale in French shops since at least spring 2025, after France banned HHC and then THCP and H4-CBD. It refers to a lab-made active ingredient added to hemp flowers, resins, disposable vapes or oils.
No manufacturer has made public what this active ingredient actually is: no chemical name, no formula, no independent analysis. In PubMed, the reference database for biomedical publications, not a single article deals with a cannabinoid called NL-1.
Sorting it out
Three sellers, three different NL-1s.
We went back over the articles and product pages published by the shops, including our own original text. The descriptions don't match up, and none of them cites a source you can check.
| Topic | What sellers say | What is established |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A “synthetic molecule obtained by converting CBD”, or a cannabinoid “with a unique structure”, sometimes likened to another trade name, MCP-N | No published structure |
| Effects | A stimulant, “non-psychoactive”, good for focus; or, on the contrary, deep relaxation, mild euphoria, effects close to THC | No trials, in humans or in animals |
| Evidence | “Studies” mentioned with no title, no date and no link | No study found |
| Status | “Legal below 0.3% THC”, or “under evaluation” | Not named by the ANSM (the French medicines agency); its 2024 listing targets a whole family |
You'll often read that NL-1 is “stimulating and non-psychoactive”, “legal”, good for energy and focus. None of that has been demonstrated, and this article, updated in October 2026, doesn't repeat it. To see where this name sits among the others, check out our HHC, THC, THCP and Delta-P comparison.
What the sources say
What science says, and doesn't say.
With no data on NL-1 itself, the only solid reference points concern the novel cannabinoid family and the market it's sold on. The references are at the bottom of the page.
PubMed · October 2026
No publication linking “NL-1” to a cannabinoid. No pharmacology, no toxicology, no reference dose.
EUDA · European Drug Report 2025
In 2024, 20 new cannabinoids were identified in Europe, 18 of them semi-synthetic; 24 semi-synthetic cannabinoids had been spotted by the end of 2024. Code names are multiplying faster than studies.
Drug Testing and Analysis · 2025
Two commercial e-liquids analysed by Japanese researchers: in both cases, the cannabinoid stated on the label wasn't found. Other compounds were there instead.
DGS-Urgent · 11 June 2026
In France, the DGS (the French directorate general for health) counted around 500 reports linked to synthetic cannabinoids between early 2025 and the end of April 2026, often via e-liquids presented as lawful or sold as “CBD”. The alert doesn't mention NL-1: it describes the context.
None of these sources says that NL-1 is dangerous. They say something else, and it's more awkward: on this market, the name printed on the packaging doesn't guarantee what's inside.
The difference
NL-1 or NL3: two names, two products.
The two acronyms look alike and are often presented as a lineage, with sellers describing NL3 as an “evolution” of NL-1. No publication documents that link: neither the structure of NL-1 nor the chemical relationship between the two is public.
NL-1
A code name with no published formula, described in contradictory ways from one shop to the next. Golden High doesn't sell it.
NL3
On this blog, NL3 is the other name for CBDX, the base of our Delta-P range: products below 0.3% THC, lab-tested. We introduce it in What is NL3.
The main thing to remember is that an acronym is not a guarantee: from one shop to the next, the same name can cover different products. What counts is the lab analysis of the batch and how clear the seller is about what they sell. For Delta-P, everything is on our dedicated page.
Reported effects
NL-1 cannabinoid effects: accounts that contradict each other.
Depending on which page you're reading, NL-1 is said to bring energy and focus “without the high”, or else deep relaxation with a mild euphoria. Some articles also mention passing tiredness. The most cautious sellers admit it themselves: these effects are “empirical”, drawn from user feedback.
- Stimulating or relaxing? Both versions exist. When one name produces opposite descriptions, it's often because the products don't contain the same thing.
- Psychoactive or not? The “non-psychoactive” label sits alongside “close to THC”. Nothing has been measured.
- What about formats? Vaping, infusion or oil under the tongue are all on offer, with no data at all on doses or on how long the effects last.
So NL-1 reviews should be read for what they are: one person's experience with a product whose exact composition they don't know. They don't let you conclude anything about effectiveness or safety. If you're new to all this, CBD vs novel cannabinoids: what's the difference covers the basics.
The framework in France
Is NL-1 legal in France? Nothing lets anyone say so.
As far as we know, no ANSM decision mentions NL-1 by name. The usual argument, “it's not on the list and the product is below 0.3% THC, so it's legal”, doesn't hold up, for two reasons. Everything here describes French law: we make no claim about the rules in your own country.
- The French list also targets families. Since 3 June 2024, H4-CBD, H2-CBD and any substance derived from the benzo[c]chromene core, the structure shared by THC and HHC, have been controlled drugs in France. A molecule can be covered without being named.
- The 0.3% threshold is about THC. It applies to hemp products. It says nothing about the lab-made active ingredient that has been added to them.
13 June 2023
HHC, HHC-O and HHC-P are classed as controlled drugs in France.
3 June 2024
The ANSM decision of 22 May 2024 comes into force in France: a listing by structural family, including HHCPO, THCP and THCA.
6 June 2025
The Conseil d'État, France's highest administrative court, dismisses the appeals brought by CBD businesses and upholds this generic listing.
Key takeaway: with no published formula, nobody can say whether or not NL-1 falls within the family listed in France in 2024. So we won't tell you it's legal. And the ANSM keeps monitoring new cannabinoids: the rules can change fast.
Before you buy
The risks, and what we advise.
- An unknown molecule. No toxicology, no reference dose, no information on interactions.
- Labelling you can't verify. Neither the level nor the identity of the active ingredient is checked.
- A legal risk. If the product contains a listed substance, possessing it is an offence in France, whatever the label says.
Golden High doesn't sell NL-1. Today the shop only offers its Delta-P range, based on CBDX, below 0.3% THC and lab-tested: we explain what it is in Delta-P: what it is, effects and legal status.
Ask for the molecule
A serious seller can name what they sell and provides the batch analysis. A code name isn't enough.
Pick a clear level
The Amnesia 12% to get started, the Moon Rock 20% if you already know the range. The whole range is in the Delta-P flowers collection.
Start low
One or two puffs, then wait. Adults only, and never before driving. If you feel unwell, call 112, the European emergency number.
Your questions
What people ask us about NL-1.
What is the NL-1 cannabinoid?
A trade name given to a lab-made novel cannabinoid, sold on flowers, resins, disposable vapes and oils. Its chemical formula hasn't been published and no scientific study describes it.
What are the effects of NL-1?
The descriptions contradict each other: a stimulant “with no high” for some sellers, relaxing with a mild euphoria for others. This is user feedback; no study has measured these effects.
What's the difference between NL-1 and NL3?
They're two separate trade names. NL3 is sometimes presented as an evolution of NL-1, but no publication documents that link. On our blog, NL3 refers to CBDX, the base of the Delta-P range; Golden High doesn't sell NL-1.
Is NL-1 legal in France?
Nothing lets anyone say so. It isn't named by the ANSM, but since 3 June 2024 the French list of controlled drugs has targeted a whole family of cannabinoids by structure. With no published formula, there's no way of knowing whether NL-1 belongs to it.
Is NL-1 a form of CBD?
No. Even when it's sold in a CBD shop, on a hemp flower, NL-1 refers to a lab-made active ingredient added to the product. “NL-1 CBD” searches come from that blurring of categories.
How much are NL-1 reviews worth?
They describe one person's experience with a product whose exact composition isn't known. They don't let you conclude anything about the molecule's real effects or about its safety.
Is NL-1 psychoactive?
Sellers don't agree among themselves: “non-psychoactive” for some, “close to THC” for others. No measurement exists. To be on the safe side, assume it may be: no driving, adults only.
Sources
The references cited in this article.
- ANSM (2024). L'ANSM inscrit de nouveaux cannabinoïdes sur la liste des stupéfiants.
- ANSM (2024). Décision du 22/05/2024 portant modification de la liste des substances classées comme stupéfiants.
- ANSM (2023). L'ANSM classe l'hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) et deux de ses dérivés sur la liste des stupéfiants.
- Conseil d'État (2025). Décision n° 494779 du 6 juin 2025.
- Direction générale de la santé (2026). DGS-Urgent n° 2026_07 : exposition aux cannabinoïdes de synthèse chez les adolescents et les jeunes adultes.
- EUDA (2025). New psychoactive substances – the current situation in Europe (European Drug Report 2025).
- Drug Testing and Analysis (2025). Discrepancies between the stated contents and analytical findings for electronic cigarette liquid products.
