On December 7, 2023, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) released the Assessment Report on Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) in Food. The report states that hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) has been found in a variety of food products on the European market since 2022. The report's key assessment findings include:

(1) The assessment data suggest that beta-HHC has a particular psychoactive potential. In addition, the cannabinoid activity of α-HHC is quite low;

(2) There is evidence that β-HHC has effects similar to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC); however, the impact may be somewhat lower. This means that higher doses are needed to obtain effects comparable to ingesting Δ9-THC;

(3) Existing levels of hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) in food products (e.g., wine gums, 25 mg/piece of HHC) are sufficient to cause euphoria in consumers;

(4) Due to differences in cannabinoid activity between beta-HHC and alpha-HHC, it is expected that the effects of consuming foods containing HHC isomers may differ;

(5) The results of the assessment of overdose (including accidental ingestion by children) are unclear. Due to the risk of food mix-ups, the possibility of serious intoxication has to be considered;

(6) In principle, HHC-containing products also contaminate extracts, synthesis by-products, other cannabinoid residues, and catalyst residues used in synthesis.