Hexahydrocannabinol, also known as HHC, was first synthesized in 1944 by Roger Adams, who was also the first person to synthesize the most well-known and prominent cannabinoids, THC and CBD.

HHC is growing in popularity for a range of reasons, including it being one of the cannabinoids that remain in a legal gray area, how readily available it is, and the fact that it has milder psychoactive effects than THC that may appeal to people who don’t like specific side effects associated with it. 

Just because it’s relatively easy to get your hands on HHC (in the U.S.) doesn’t mean it won’t show up on specific drug testing. Here, we look at HHC more closely and highlight the risks associated with consuming it if you have a drug test on the horizon. 

What is HHC?

While cannabinoids naturally occur in cannabis plants, scientists can also create synthetic and semi-synthetic derivatives of them. HHC is semi-synthetic, deriving from natural cannabinoids but requiring modification in a lab to make it usable. Chemically, HHC is similar to THC.

HHC is made using hydrogenation, which adds extra hydrogen atoms to CBD to create HHC. The main difference is that there are no double bonds in HHC, whereas delta-8 THC and delta-9 THC have them. 

The legality of HHC remains a gray area in the U.S. The 2018 Farm Bill made it federally legal to buy and sell hemp and naturally occurring derivatives, as long as they contain under 0.3% Delta-9 THC. In the U.S., HHC is a controlled substance in Alaska, Arizona, Maryland, Colorado, Michigan, Massachusetts, and Delaware. All other states treat it as a legal gray area or allow sales for now.

Elsewhere in Europe, HHC is prohibited in the UK because of the Psychoactive Substance Act 2016 and was banned in other European countries like Denmark, Belgium, and Austria in 2023, thanks to various psychoactive substance ordinances that prohibit cannabinoids. The rules often change, so keeping abreast of any changes is essential. 

Many types of HHC products are available on the market, including a variety of edibles, topicals, oils, beverages, and more. To avoid low-quality and unreliable products, only purchase HHC products with good reviews from reputable brands. Brands like Bearly Legal Hemp Co., specializing in vape pens, and Binoid, focusing on gummies, are trusted by users nationwide. 

Does HHC Show Up on Drug Tests?

HHC, like THC, is a psychoactive cannabinoid. However, the psychoactive effects of HHC are much milder than delta-9 THC. HHC has benefits that range from pain relief and relaxation to fighting insomnia. If a user is looking for an intense psychoactive experience, they may want to look at other cannabinoids.

One of the main drawbacks of HHC for consumers is the lack of research on it and checks and balances that can maintain the quality. Cannabis users who have tried HHC highlight its mild and less intense high and the lack of brain fog and anxiety associated with more potent THC products. Other people have noted tolerance towards HHC builds fast, and the effects are too subtle. 

Due to its structural similarities to THC, HHC may metabolize into THC-like compounds in the body after ingestion or inhalation. Inside the body, liver enzymes break down THC and HHC. THC is metabolized into 11-hydroxy-THC, which may be the result for HHC, although more research is required.

The metabolites that HHC becomes may be similar enough to THC to flag up on a drug test. HHC may cause a false positive of THC in a drug test, and, likely, many employers may not take “It’s HHC - it’s a legal gray area!” as an excuse. 

Research and Evidence on HHC Detection

HHC detection is still in its infancy as far as studies are concerned. However, one study into detecting HHC in urine suggests that “Urine test strips and ELISA tests for the detection in serum seem to be beneficial to detect HHC consumption in comparison with saliva tests.”

Another study found that HHC showed up in a urine test after inhalation and as an edible. A study of blood tests for HHC found metabolites in the system after consumption. “It was determined that the major metabolite in blood after administration of HHC was 9R-HHC-COOH followed by 11-OH-9R-HHC and that presumptive positive cases are caught by the routine ELISA screening for cannabis.

Different HHC consumers have found that even after 12 weeks, they are still flagging positive urine tests after consuming HHC. Ultimately, the risks remain if you consume HHC that it will appear on a drug test. 

How Drug Tests Work

Many drug tests are commonly used, including urine, blood, hair follicle, and saliva tests. Each is designed to determine whether the person being tested has consumed certain substances. One of the things that is commonly tested for is THC and its metabolites, like THC-COOH and 11-Hydroxy-THC. 

The different types of tests take different amounts of time for THC and its metabolites to leave the body system. On average, it takes 7-21 days for these metabolites to stop showing up in a urine test, up to 14 days in blood tests, 7 days in hair follicle tests, and 7 days for saliva tests. These time frames may vary depending on how heavy a user you are. 

How to Avoid Testing Positive for THC or HHC

If you’re worried about HHC appearing on a drug test, there are several ways you can avoid it happening. The main strategies are: 

• Stopping 90+ days before the test
• Detox methods include increasing water intake and taking detox products. However, the efficiency of these products is debatable. 
• The better your liver functions, the quicker things pass through the body. So, living a healthy lifestyle with lots of fiber is thought to be a good way of decreasing the time it takes for metabolites to leave the system. 

While they may still appear in some cases, CBD products are not usually detected as the chemical removes other cannabinoids. However, switching to CBD won’t give you a “high” like THC alternatives. THC-O may not show up on tests, but there is insufficient evidence to say this is a dead cert. 

Conclusion

The truth is, you may be able to take a drug test and not fail it after consuming HHC. However, scientific and anecdotal evidence suggests it may still appear in urine tests after consumption.

If you have a drug test coming up, it is best to stop consuming cannabis products in the lead-up. Ensure you keep up to date with further research around HHC and drug detection as the landscape changes.