Characterising a new cannabis trend : extensive analysis of semi-synthetic cannabinoid-containing seizures from Germany
Loading...
Date issued
Editors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Reuse License
Abstract
In May 2022, semi-synthetic cannabinoids (SSC) appeared on the European drug market, claiming to offer a legal alternative with cannabimimetic effects. Since then, the use of hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) has quickly become very popular and derivatives, among them heptyl-analogs with prolonged alkyl-sidechains and acetylated forms, have appeared. First HHC-bans were introduced in some EU countries in early 2023. As only limited data is available on this dynamic consumption trend, this study aims to analyse a seizure collective comprehensively.
A liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method was validated for quantification of (R,S)-HHC, Δ8-THC, Δ9-THC, CBD, CBG, CBN, (R,S)-HHC-O and CBN-O and applied to a collective of 80 SSC-containing products including flowers, resins, edibles, vape liquids and papers. Further derivatives, among them (R,S)-HHCP, Δ9-THCP, Δ8-THCP, (R,S)-HHCP-O, (R,S)-H4CBD, THC-O and THCP-O were qualitatively evaluated.
HHC-content was characterised by extreme fluctuations from