HHC vs THC, THCP, H4CBD and Delta-P: the full comparison
By the Golden High teamUpdated 10 October 20268 min read
The comparison
HHC vs THC: HHC is a hydrogenated version of THC, made in a lab, whose active form works on the same receptors with comparable reported effects, and both are controlled drugs in France, HHC since 13 June 2023. THCP and H4CBD followed on 3 June 2024, while CBD is not a controlled drug. Here's the table that compares all these molecules, Delta-P included, on what really matters: origin, potency, legal status, drug testing and reported effects.
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HHC vs THC: cousins, and both banned in France.
THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the main psychoactive molecule in cannabis. HHC (hexahydrocannabinol) is a hydrogenated version of it: hydrogen atoms are added to the molecule in a lab, starting from converted CBD. The result comes in two forms: 9R-HHC, which binds well to CB1 receptors just like THC, and 9S-HHC, which is much less active.
What they have in common
Same chemical family, same target (the CB1 receptor), comparable reported effects. The ANSM (the French medicines agency) judged HHC's risk of abuse and dependence to be equivalent to that of cannabis.
What sets them apart
THC is natural; the HHC sold in shops was semi-synthetic, with 9R and 9S ratios that varied from one product to the next, so its strength was unpredictable.
For the full story on the molecule, where it comes from and why it was banned, read our article What is HHC and why is it banned.
The table
Seven molecules, one table.
This table sums up what official sources and the scientific literature say. When a piece of data doesn't exist, we say so rather than make it up.
| Molecule | Origin | Potency (data) | Status in France | Saliva test | Reported effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| THC | Natural | Benchmark | Controlled drug; tolerated below 0.3% in hemp | Targeted molecule (15 ng/ml cut-off) | Psychoactive |
| CBD | Natural | No psychotropic effect according to the CJEU (2020) | Not a controlled drug; flowers allowed (Conseil d'État, 2022) | Not targeted, but THC traces can trigger a positive | No “high” effect |
| HHC | Semi-synthetic | 9R active on CB1, 9S less active | Controlled drug since 13/06/2023 | Cross-reactions vary depending on the test | Close to THC; adverse effects reported |
| THCP | Traces in the plant; commercial products hemi-synthetic (ANSM) | Very high CB1 affinity in vitro (Ki 1.2 nM) | Controlled drug since 03/06/2024 | Cross-reaction observed in the lab | THC-like activity in animals |
| H4CBD | Semi-synthetic (hydrogenated CBD) | Limited data | Controlled drug since 03/06/2024 | No public data | Poisonings reported to the ANSM |
| 10-OH-HHC | Hydroxylated derivative of HHC | No clinical data | Not named by the ANSM (see below) | No public data | No published data found |
| Delta-P (Golden High) | Range based on CBDX | Level shown on every product | Products below 0.3% THC, lab-tested | No public data; THC traces possible | More pronounced than CBD |
What about delta-8-THC? It's an isomer of THC: the tetrahydrocannabinol family is on the French list of controlled drugs, so it falls under the rules for THC.
Legal or banned?
Who was classified in France, and when.
The rules in France have changed a lot in five years. Here's the timeline, decision by decision.
19 Nov 2020
The Court of Justice of the European Union (Kanavape ruling) holds that CBD cannot be considered a narcotic within the meaning of the international conventions.
29 Dec 2022
France's Conseil d'État (the highest administrative court) overturns the ban on selling hemp flowers and leaves below 0.3% THC.
13 Jun 2023
HHC, HHC-O (acetate) and HHC-P become controlled drugs in France (ANSM decision of 12 June 2023).
3 Jun 2024
The ANSM lists H4-CBD, H2-CBD and cannabinoids with a benzo[c]chromene core, including HHCPO, THCP and THCA (natural traces in hemp excluded).
6 Jun 2025
The Conseil d'État rejects the appeals brought by CBD businesses against that 2024 decision.
The case of 10-OH-HHC. It isn't named in the ANSM's decisions, and Drogues Info Service (the French public drug information service) stated in November 2024 that it wasn't classified in France. That doesn't make it a safe product or a guaranteed “legal” one: it's a semi-synthetic molecule with no safety data, and the list of controlled drugs keeps changing. Golden High doesn't sell it. We cover it in our dedicated 10-OH-HHC article, listed at the bottom of the page.
What the studies say
Potency: what's actually been measured.
“Stronger than THC” is the most repeated marketing line in this market. It's rarely based on human studies. Here's what has actually been measured.
THCP · Scientific Reports, 2019
Italian researchers identify THCP in a cannabis strain. Its binding to the human CB1 receptor in vitro (Ki = 1.2 nM) is comparable to that of a reference synthetic cannabinoid, and it produces THC-like effects in mice.
HHC · ACS Chemical Biology, 2023
9R-HHC activates CB1 receptors the way THC does, while 9S-HHC is much less active. Hence products with very variable strength.
Drug testing · Karolinska, 2024
HHC, HHC-O, HHC-P, HHC-H and THCP react with the antibodies in THC drug tests: immunoassay tests can't tell them apart.
ANSM · 2023 and 2024
Adverse effects reported with HHC (tremors, vomiting, anxiety, tachycardia, chest pain…) and several hundred poisonings recorded in France in early 2024 involving synthetic or semi-synthetic cannabinoids.
A high affinity measured in a test tube doesn't tell you exactly what a user feels, but it's enough to understand why these molecules were classified. References at the bottom of the page.
THCP vs THC
THCP vs THC: a longer chain.
THCP has the same structure as THC, with one difference: its side chain has seven carbon atoms instead of five. Researchers already knew that synthetic THC analogues with longer chains were far more active; that's what they found again with THCP.
- No “legal THC”: THCP has been a controlled drug in France since 3 June 2024.
- No study of its effects in humans published to date in the sources we checked.
- Hemi-synthetic commercial products, made in a lab according to the ANSM, not extracted from the plant.
You'll find all the details in our article THCP: effects, risks and legal status.
Delta-P vs HHC, THC vs CBD
And where does Delta-P fit in?
Delta-P is not HHC, THCP or H4CBD. It's the name of our range, based on CBDX, with products below 0.3% THC, lab-tested, with the level shown on each one. The framework and the molecule are covered on our Delta-P page, and the comparison with THC in Delta-P vs THC: what's the difference.
| CBD | HHC | Delta-P | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status in France | Not a controlled drug | Controlled drug since 2023 | Products below 0.3% THC |
| Traceability | Depends on the shop | Poor, unreliable labelling | Level shown, batch testing |
| Feel | No high | Close to THC | More pronounced than CBD |
If you're torn between regular CBD and Delta-P, we've covered it in Delta-P or CBD: which one to choose. To discover the range, our Delta-P flowers start at 12% with Amnesia Delta-P.
Steer clear of classified molecules
HHC, HHC-P, HHC-O, THCP, HHCPO, H4CBD, H2CBD: all controlled drugs in France.
Ask for the lab test
A level shown on the product and a certificate of analysis for each batch: that's the bare minimum.
Start low
Small amount, moderate level, and never before driving. Adults only.
Your questions
What people ask us about these molecules.
HHC vs THC: what's the difference?
HHC is a hydrogenated version of THC, made in a lab. Its 9R form works on the same CB1 receptors with comparable reported effects. Both are controlled drugs in France, HHC since 13 June 2023.
Is THCP stronger than THC?
In vitro, its affinity for the CB1 receptor is very high (Ki of 1.2 nM) and it produces THC-like effects in mice. There's no published study in humans. It has been a controlled drug in France since 3 June 2024.
HHC or H4CBD: what's the difference?
HHC is hydrogenated THC, H4CBD is hydrogenated CBD. Both are semi-synthetic and classified as controlled drugs in France: HHC since 13 June 2023, H4CBD since 3 June 2024.
Is Delta-P the same as HHC?
No. Delta-P is the name of our range, based on CBDX, below 0.3% THC and lab-tested. It isn't HHC, THCP or H4CBD.
THC or CBD: what's the difference?
THC is psychoactive and classified as a controlled drug in France. According to the EU Court of Justice (2020), CBD has no psychotropic effect and is not a narcotic; hemp products must stay below 0.3% THC.
Can HHC be detected like THC?
Sometimes. Drug tests struggle to tell THC, HHC and THCP apart: cross-reactions have been observed, but not with every test. In France, driving after using any of them remains a criminal offence.
Is 10-OH-HHC legal in France?
It isn't named by the ANSM, and Drogues Info Service stated in November 2024 that it wasn't classified. That's no guarantee: it's a semi-synthetic molecule with no safety data, on a list that keeps changing. Golden High doesn't sell it.
Sources
The references cited in this article.
- ANSM (2023). The ANSM adds hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) and two of its derivatives to the list of controlled drugs (in French).
- ANSM (2024). The ANSM adds new cannabinoids to the list of controlled drugs; Consolidated list of substances classified as controlled drugs (updated 16/02/2026) (in French).
- Conseil d'État. Decision no. 444887 of 29 December 2022; Decision no. 494779 of 6 June 2025 (in French).
- CJEU, 19 November 2020. Case C-663/18, criminal proceedings against B S and C A (Kanavape).
- Scientific Reports (2019). A novel phytocannabinoid isolated from Cannabis sativa L. with an in vivo cannabimimetic activity higher than Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol: Δ9-tetrahydrocannabiphorol.
- ACS Chemical Biology (2023). Studies pertaining to the emerging cannabinoid hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) ; Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation (2024), Appearance of hexahydrocannabinols as recreational drugs and implications for cannabis drug testing.
- Drogues Info Service (2024). Ban on CBD flowers and 10-OH-HHC (in French).
