HHC-P and HHC-O: what they are, the risks and why France banned them
By the Golden High teamUpdated 26 October 20268 min read
Novel cannabinoids
HHC-P (hexahydrocannabiphorol) and HHC-O (HHC acetate) are two semi-synthetic derivatives of HHC. The first carries a longer chain of atoms that makes it more active at the CB1 receptor; the second is an "acetate" form the body is thought to convert back into HHC. Both have been classed as controlled drugs in France since 13 June 2023, under the same decision by the ANSM (the French medicines agency) that covered HHC; their cousin, HHCPO, followed in June 2024. Here's what they are, what the studies say, and why this market was shut down.
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HHC-P and HHC-O, the two HHC derivatives.
When HHC flooded European shops in 2022, manufacturers were quick to try to "beef it up" or spin off new versions. Two variants showed up almost at the same time: HHC-P and HHC-O. If you're not familiar with HHC itself yet, start with our article What is HHC?, since everything below builds on it.
HHC-P (HHCP)
Hexahydrocannabiphorol. Same backbone as HHC, but with a side chain of seven carbon atoms instead of five. That longer chain increases its affinity for the CB1 receptor: it's the "stronger" version.
HHC-O (HHCO, acetate)
Hexahydrocannabinol-O-acetate. HHC with an acetate group grafted on. Almost inactive at the CB1 receptor as it is, it's thought to work as a "prodrug" that the body turns back into HHC.
The names are confusing, and sellers played on that. HHC-P and HHCP are the same molecule. So are HHC-O, HHCO and HHC acetate. HHCPO (sometimes written HHCP-O) is the acetate of HHC-P: it combines the long chain and the acetate. On a label, one letter more or less can completely change the molecule, and the product's potency.
- Origin: semi-synthetic or synthetic, made in a lab.
- Effect: psychoactive, THC-like.
- Forms sold: sprayed hemp flowers, resins, vapes, gummies.
- Status in France: controlled drugs since 13 June 2023.
The chemistry
A longer chain, an extra acetate.
HHC, THC and HHC-P share the same core structure. What sets them apart are the details: hydrogenation (in HHC and HHC-P, one of the rings has lost its double bond), the length of the side chain, and whether or not there's an acetate. Researchers have long known that lengthening this chain increases potency at the CB1 receptor.
| HHC | HHC-P | HHC-O | HHCPO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Hydrogenated THC | HHC with a 7-carbon chain | HHC acetate | HHC-P acetate |
| How it's made | From CBD | Most likely full synthesis | HHC + acetylation | HHC-P + acetylation |
| First seen in Europe | May 2022 | November 2022 (Slovenia) | August 2022 (Hungary) | September 2023 |
| Status in France | Controlled since 13/06/2023 | Controlled since 13/06/2023 | Controlled since 13/06/2023 | Controlled since 03/06/2024 |
Another little-known difference: according to a team of toxicologists in Mainz, HHC-P is probably no longer made from CBD like HHC, but by full synthesis, putting the chemical building blocks together one by one. It moves even further away from the plant.
The timeline
Two years of racing between makers and regulators.
May 2022
HHC appears on the European market, marketed as a "legal" alternative to THC.
August 2022
Hungarian authorities detect HHC-O, the acetylated form of HHC.
November 2022
Slovenia reports HHC-P, the first "heptyl" molecule of this family in Europe.
13 June 2023
In France, the ANSM decision of 12 June comes into force: HHC, HHC-O and HHC-P become controlled drugs.
September 2023
Acetates of the heptyl molecules, including HHCP-O (HHCPO), are spotted in Europe for the first time.
3 June 2024
In France, a new ANSM decision lists cannabinoids with a benzo[c]chromene core, including HHCPO, THCP, THCA, H4-CBD and H2-CBD.
This game of cat and mouse isn't unique to France. In the Czech Republic, the ban on HHC, THCP and HHC-O from 1 March 2024 was followed by a slight rise in poisonings linked to HHC-P, which the law didn't cover: when one molecule gets banned, another takes its place.
What the sources say
More potent, poorly documented.
No clinical trial has ever been run in humans on HHC-P or HHC-O. What we know comes from lab studies, analyses of seized products and data from poison control centres. Here's the most solid research.
Drug Testing and Analysis · 2024
Swedish toxicologists, working with the EU drugs agency (EUDA), measured CB1 receptor activation in vitro. 9R-HHC came out five times less potent than the reference synthetic cannabinoid JWH-018, while 9R-HHC-P was only half as potent: HHC-P is clearly more active than HHC. HHC-O barely activates the receptor, which suggests it works once the body has converted it.
Drug Testing and Analysis · 2025
Across 80 products seized in Germany (flowers, resins, gummies, liquids), HHC content ranged from traces to 70.9%. HHCP turned up in 43.8% of samples and HHCP-O in 36.3%, almost always mixed with other derivatives in the same product.
Prague Toxicology Information Centre · 2025
236 cases of exposure to HHC and HHC-P reported between May 2022 and April 2024; 196 were included, 11 of them linked to HHC-P. Neurological symptoms in 74% of cases, cardiovascular in 43%, digestive in 43%; 6.1% were severe. The HHC-P cases looked much like the HHC ones.
ANSM · June 2023
The French medicines agency found a risk of abuse and dependence equivalent to cannabis, and listed the side effects reported: tremors, vomiting, anxiety, bad trips, confusion, dizziness, tachycardia, chest pain and blood pressure spikes.
Full references at the bottom of the page.
The legal framework
HHC-P, HHC-O, HHCPO: all controlled in France.
HHC-P and HHC-O were classed as controlled drugs by the ANSM decision of 12 June 2023, in force from 13 June 2023. In France, producing, selling, possessing and using them is prohibited. HHCPO, the acetate of HHC-P, was added in turn by the decision of 22 May 2024, amended on 3 June and in force from 3 June 2024.
Key takeaway: in France, any website or shop offering "HHC-P", "HHCP", "HHC-O" or "HHC acetate" today is selling a controlled drug, whatever the label says. Searching for "buy HHC-P" means looking for a product banned in France, with nobody vouching for what's in it. There's no tolerated threshold there.
To see how these molecules compare with THC, THCP and Delta-P, read our HHC, THC, THCP and Delta-P comparison.
The risks
Why these products were a problem.
- Stronger than HHC. With HHC-P, a usual amount of HHC could produce a much stronger effect than expected.
- Unpredictable contents. Seized products often contained several molecules at once, at wildly varying concentrations.
- Vaped acetates. Chemists have shown that cannabinoid acetates (Δ8-THC acetate, CBD acetate, CBN acetate) form ketene, a gas toxic to the lungs, under vaping conditions. HHC-O and HHCPO carry the same acetate group.
- Documented poisonings, including in children who swallowed gummies.
If you or someone close to you is having a hard time after taking a psychoactive product, our advice is in bad trip: what to do?. If someone feels faint, has chest pain or loses consciousness, call 112, the European emergency number (in France, 15 for the SAMU also works).
So what now?
What we chose instead.
When the HHC market closed, some shops moved on to HHC-P, HHC-O and then HHCPO, until all of them were banned in France. We told that story in HHC banned: what replaced it?. Our choice: products from the Delta-P range, based on CBDX, under 0.3% THC, with a labelled strength and a lab analysis. All the details are on our dedicated Delta-P page.
To discover the range, the Pack High brings together three flowers in a small size, and Jaune Mousseux 30 % is our signature resin. All our flowers are in the Delta-P flowers collection.
Check the strength
A serious product shows its cannabinoid content and stays under 0.3% THC.
Ask for the analysis
Every batch should be traceable to a lab certificate of analysis.
Start low
Small amount, moderate strength, time between doses. Adults only, and never before driving.
Your questions
What people ask us about HHC-P and HHC-O.
HHC-P and HHC-O: what are they?
They're two semi-synthetic derivatives of HHC. HHC-P, or hexahydrocannabiphorol, has a side chain of seven carbon atoms instead of five and, in vitro, activates the CB1 receptor far more than HHC; HHC-O is HHC's acetate.
Is HHC-P legal in France?
No. In France, HHC-P is classed as a controlled drug by the ANSM decision of 12 June 2023, in force from 13 June 2023. Producing, selling, possessing and using it is prohibited.
What is HHC-O, or HHC acetate?
It's HHC with an added acetate group. As it is, it barely activates the CB1 receptor and is thought to work as a prodrug that the body turns back into HHC. It has been a controlled drug in France since 13 June 2023.
What's the difference between HHC-P and HHCP?
None: they're two spellings of the same molecule, hexahydrocannabiphorol. Likewise, HHC-O and HHCO both mean HHC acetate.
And HHCPO?
It's the acetate of HHC-P. It appeared in Europe in September 2023 and was classed as a controlled drug in France by the ANSM decision in force from 3 June 2024.
Is HHC-P stronger than HHC?
Yes, based on in vitro measurements: at the CB1 receptor, 9R-HHC-P came out roughly two and a half times more potent than 9R-HHC. No clinical study allows any firmer conclusion in humans.
Is Delta-P the same as HHC-P?
No. Delta-P is the name of our range, based on CBDX, under 0.3% THC. It isn't HHC, HHC-P or HHC-O. It's all explained on our dedicated Delta-P page.
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 (in French).
- Persson M. et al., Drug Testing and Analysis (2024). In vitro activation of the CB1 receptor by the semi-synthetic cannabinoids hexahydrocannabinol (HHC), hexahydrocannabinol acetate (HHC-O) and hexahydrocannabiphorol (HHC-P).
- Hundertmark M. et al., Drug Testing and Analysis (2025). Characterising a New Cannabis Trend: Extensive Analysis of Semi-Synthetic Cannabinoid-Containing Seizures From Germany.
- Čečrle M. et al., Pharmacology Research & Perspectives (2025). Hexahydrocannabinol and Hexahydrocannabiphorol Poisonings: Data From the Czech Toxicology Information Centre and Effects of Legislative Changes.
- Munger K.R. et al., Chemical Research in Toxicology (2022). Vaping Cannabinoid Acetates Leads to Ketene Formation.
