Delta-8 is a hot topic on our blogs and in our stores, and for good reason! With all of the benefits of Delta-9 without the added anxiety, could there possibly be ways to improve on something already so great? There is now, thanks to the quick innovation behind the inventive chemists in the ever-changing world of alternative cannabinoids and Delta-THC! There’s always an even better way to get the most out of your favorite cartridges and edibles, and that's with opting for the hydrogenated forms of Delta-8 we carry, called HHC!
On its own, hemp and cannabis can produce a huge number of cannabinoids, but the quantities these appear in are too little to truly enjoy their best features. Some of our most potent alternative cannabinoids are those amplified in laboratories through carefully performed and regulated treatments. HHC is one of MIVAPECO’s most popular cannabinoids that’s been brought to life by creative chemists, and thanks to modern science and legislation like the 2018 Farm Bill, nearly everyone can enjoy its effects and benefits. HHC stands for hexahydrocannabinol, which is a hydrogenated form of THC. HHC is considered both a natural and semi-synthetic cannabinoid depending on where and how it’s processed from plant to pen.
Today’s cannabis chemists work hard to bring these cannabinoids to the market for shops like us and consumers like you, but the history of altering cannabinoids to bring out their potential reaches far into the past! HHC was discovered in the 1940s, before most people even knew or documented the medical benefits of THC and was perfected and patented in 1947 by Professor Roger Adams at the University of Illinois, right here in our home state! Dr. Adam’s research has helped lead to the studies we have today regarding the wonders of THC. With the dedication of science on our side, cannabis research has hit new heights and new highs.
By following the research and using newer, better tech, extract labs do the hard work of processing raw hemp into powerful HHC for you to enjoy through various processes. HHC can be produced safely in a well-equipped laboratory, which is a necessity for brands already producing other forms of THC. All HHC products are made using semi-synthetic HHC, which is chemically hydrogenated from THC. Semi-synthetic cannabinoids aren’t harmful, though they might sound scary for a newcomer to alternative cannabinoids. Modern synthetics have moved far from the way they’re perceived, and all THC products we carry are tested for their potency and extraction processes to ensure clean, pure HHC without the risk of toxins and metals. HHC is synthetic derivative, meaning that while HHC occurs naturally in the cannabis or hemp it is sourced from, it is amplified through a process called Hydrogenation to reach its maximum potential.
Hydrogenation is a well-known industrial process that is relatively simple, but does a lot for the compounds it is utilized in. The process begins by adding hydrogen (H2) to organic, unsaturated compounds to generate a corresponding saturated compound, and results in enhancing the oxidative stability of the compound than from its starting material it was derived from. By adding hydrogen to a compound that didn’t have it prior, the result changes how the compound oxidizes, and prevents it from degrading at the speed it would naturally. This practice is common in the food industry, like in vegetable oils and margarine. You have probably already used a hydrogenated product and didn’t even know it! Hydrogenation helps extend the shelf life of products it’s used to treat, like your favorite fatty foods and heady carts.
HHC manufacturing is a proprietary process that takes place inside a chemical reactor, and companies might vary in their production means, but third-party testing helps ensure standardization of quality and potency regardless of the exact natures of each lab’s extraction and hydrogenation processes.
Hydrogenation of HHC is a simple process generally and does more than extend the shelf life like other products. Chemists will take CBD and isomerize it into Delta-8 THC, chemically saturate it with hydrogen atoms, expose it to a nickel or zinc catalyst, and convert it into HHC during this extraction process. The inclusion of hydrogen causes HHC to become more stable than THC. What makes HHC unique is its stability due to its newer, high resistance to oxidation, heat, and UV light, so you don’t need to pay so much attention to storage as you do with cannabis buds, making it a worthwhile investment to your stash. Hydrogenation also establishes a stronger bond for the endocannabinoid it is treating, making it interact with your endocannabinoid system in stronger ways!
More potent than Delta-8 among other alternative cannabinoids, HHC fans agree that HHC is one of the best ways to enjoy hemp-derived THC. HHC’s mental and physical effects are very similar to classic Delta-9 THC, and induce feelings of euphoria, alter your visual and auditory perception, boost your appetite, and temporarily increase your heart rate. At our stores, our clients and staff credit HHC with relief from chronic pain, having deeper, more restorative sleep, and quick alleviation from nausea, stomach issues, and high anxiety. Strain-specific HHC can help exactly target these problems and more, but generally this cannabinoid offers most of the same therapeutic effect profile as other forms of THC, just at a stronger capacity than before.
HHC is just the start to something beautiful breaking ground in the THC world!
As HHC continues to gain in popularity, the same goes for its growing industry! Research today has brought hydrogenation to other cannabinoids, most notably to THCO and THC-P, by crafting HHC-O and HHC-P! As interest in amplified Delta-THC grows, innovative chemists behind some of our favorite brands have brought us some of the most powerful extracts we carry today, like the Mako HHC-P 2% Disposable or Urb’s HHC-O Cartridges!
HHC-P is made the same way as HHC, and that’s through isomerization and hydrogenation to enhance its effects from its organic form, CBD. With isomerization, the molecules in CBD are reconfigured to convert the cannabinoid into a new one – in this case, HHC-P. All cannabinoids are isomers of one another and have the same molecules, and thus, rearranging them converts them into different cannabinoids! CBD is used to make HHC-P because it’s abundantly available in the plant, making the process highly cost-effective, but this is the case for most cannabinoids on the market.
To make HHC-O, the process changes a little. Producers add the chemical compound acetic anhydride to HHC molecules that have already been hydrogenated. This makes them bind more thoroughly to cannabinoid receptors and gives its users its famously potent effect. By bringing the same processes and creative change to new cannabinoids, hydrogenation can both extend the life and quality of your favorite THC alternatives. This process makes HHC-O about 1.5x as potent, and HHC-P 5x as potent!
As always when experimenting with new alternative cannabinoids, we at MiVapeCo. highly recommend making sure HHC is right for you. Though these products are legal at a federal level and through state jurisdiction by being hemp-derived THC, any alternative cannabinoid still runs the risk of testing positive for THC during drug tests. All Delta-THC or enhanced THC are metabolized by an enzyme known as THC-COOH, which is the enzyme frequently screened in drug tests.Though research is still in the works to find if every cannabinoid is metabolized strong enough to produce significant amounts of THC-COOH, we advise to avoid HHC at this time for those who may have concerns with having traceable THC in their system.
Check out the variety of strains to amplify your every high with our HHC Chamba pens and Top Shelf HHC Prerolls, or explore the expanding world of other hydrogenated cannabinoids with Mako and Urb in-store or online today!