After Austria, which has prohibited the production and trade of HHC, Finland has also moved in this direction and, by classifying this cannabinoid as a "narcotic substance", has officially prohibited from sale.
A decision that, after that the HHC has exploded on the global cannabis market, since not explicitly legislated from any drug law, more and more governments are preparing to discuss.
HHC: Finland officially bans it
The senior inspector of the Finnish Medicines Agency (Fimea) Katja Pihlainen he told the Finnish newspaper Yle that the rapid spread of HHC-based products in over 20 EU countries has caused concern'European Observatory for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and Member State agencies.
“HHC is openly sold as a 'legal substitute' for THC and cannabis in a range of highly attractive branded and unbranded products, some of which are sold as 'legal drugs' - reads an EMCDDA document - These include hemp sprayed or mixed with HHC, as well as vaporizers and edibles (edibles)."
Pihlainen expressed his concern in particular about the effects that HHC could have, since, although its synthesis dates back to 1940, studies in this regard are still few. “We don't know how it affects the body,” the senior inspector said.
Furthermore, after openly stating that the commercial production of HHC came from the United States, after the 2018 Farm Bill legalized industrial hemp containing up to 0.3% THC, Pihlainen pointed out that, in addition to studies, there is also a lack of control system which guarantees the quality of the products marketed, since, during preparation, which takes place completely autonomously, chemical substances that are harmful to the body could be added.
Sweden is also preparing to ban HHC
By classifying HHC as a narcotic substance, Finland has banned its manufacture, import, storage, distribution and sale, allowing - for now - only possession and personal consumption.
According to Pihlainen, other EU countries are also moving to ban HHC; among these are Estonia, which has already declared this cannabinoid illegal, and the Sweden, which has already initiated measures aimed at prohibiting its sale.
Is HHC legal in Italy?
Passed off as hemp derivatives, HHC-rich products have invaded the global cannabis market, including the Italian one. But Is HHC legal in Italy?
Our country's drug laws it does not specify legalities or possible illegalities of this "new cannabinoid". A legislative void that has turned into fertile ground for some sellers, who, without any hesitation, have added these products among those available for purchase.
However, according to paragraph 4) of the consolidated law on narcotics in Italy (art. 14 of Presidential Decree 390/90) which states: Any other substance which produces effects on the central nervous system and has the capacity to cause physical or mental dependence of the same or higher order than those previously indicated", and paragraph 6) which includes all of: "Cannabis indica, the products obtained from it; tetrahydrocannabinols, their natural analogues, substances obtained by synthesis or semi-synthesis which can be traced back to them by chemical structure or pharmaco-toxicological effect", theHHC should be considered illegal.
Despite this, as anticipated, the situation is in the absence of a specific regulation still to be clarified.
