No indication government plans to regulate HHC products that have flooded the market

Government is keeping its cards close to its chest about regulating the psychoactive compound HHC, which is a synthetic form of cannabis that is currently legal. 

HHC, short for hexahydrocannabinol, is a semi-synthetic cannabinoid whose popularity in Europe is on the rise as a cannabis substitute. Last November, MaltaToday had reported that a variety of HHC products are being sold in shops, vending machines, and even on food courier services Bolt and Wolt. 

The Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis (ARUC) has no legal remit to regulate these products despite its psychoactive qualities as they contain less than 0.2% of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the psychoactive compound found in cannabis.  

On 8 January, ARUC voiced its concern on the widely available semi-synthetic cannabis products in Malta, advising consumers to be wary of such products. 

MaltaToday asked the Reforms Parliamentary Secretariat, which birthed ARUC and legalised cannabis, whether the government is considering a change in legislation regarding HHC. 

While the ministry was not explicit in its statement, a spokesperson said: “In light of these circumstances, the government remains committed to adopting an evidence-based approach and recognises the invaluable expert advice from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) to navigate health, legal, and social ramifications linked with the spread of semi-synthetic cannabinoids like HHC.” 

The spokesperson said government and ARUC have established a “multi-disciplinary consultative committee to discuss this subject and identify what actions need to be taken.” 

This will be done to raise awareness about the risks linked to similar substances while monitoring the spread of such products within EU markets. This is particularly crucial in the case of items like sweets that are designed to appeal to young or non-cannabis users. 

Andrew Bonello, president of Releaf, a cannabis advocacy group, underscored the importance of differentiating HHC products from natural cannabis. Bonello stated that the presence of HHC in European markets is, “a workaround to the law which bans THC.” 

He explained that prohibition of cannabis in certain countries has led to this innovation, which is not strictly illicit, given the lack of laws that govern HHC. 

“When you cannot access cannabis in a regulated manner, but you can access products like HHC which are not banned, then obviously those are going to be found in shops,” Bonello said. 

Long-time cannabis users won’t go anywhere near HHC, he insisted. The cannabis legislation advocate noted that the fact that these products have cropped up all over Malta has nothing to do with the fact that Malta legalised cannabis for personal use, citing HHC’s popularity in European countries where cannabis remains illegal. 

Bonello cited the lack of availability of legal cannabis despite more than two years since Malta legalised personal use. 

Despite the differences between HHC products and natural cannabis, Bonello did not call for a prohibition of the products. “Prohibition does not lead to the eradication of that product, it just makes it go underground,” he noted. 

Bonello explained that currently, HHC products are labelled as such, giving the consumer information about the product. He said that a ban might even see HHC being sold on the street as natural cannabis. 

He stated that other European countries are also trying to wrap their heads around HHC’s regulation, with some 11 countries attempting to ban or heavily regulate the product. 

Interestingly, the Czech Republic, which is the country of origin of many HHC products found in Malta, is currently trying to regulate, rather than ban the substance.