HHC and CBD in 2026: the rules in every European country

If you opened your favourite cannabinoid shop this spring and noticed that the HHC section was smaller than before — or gone entirely — you are not mistaken. Something genuinely changed across Europe between December 2025 and February 2026, and a lot of people who use CBD oils, HHC vapes or other newer cannabinoid products are trying to understand what it means for them.

This article goes country by country. What happened, where your country stands, what is safe to buy, what to consider before you travel, and what is still available. No legal jargon without explanation. No scare tactics. Just the actual situation in April 2026.

Canapuff ships cannabinoid products to customers across eighteen European markets. What we have seen since the German NpSG extension at the end of 2025 and the Dutch Opium Act update in January 2026 is a noticeable shift — both in what customers ask and in what they buy. More questions land in our inbox than in any previous quarter, and the direction of the shift is clear: once HHC is closed in a given country, customers move mainly to CBG, CBN and higher-quality CBD rather than sideways into the next semi-synthetic. That is the ground-level perspective behind this guide.

The quick summary

1. HHC is now an internationally controlled substance. In March 2025, at its 68th session, the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs voted to place HHC on Schedule II of the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances — the same list as other controlled psychoactive substances. The decision entered into force on 6 December 2025 (UNODC announcement). This does not mean HHC is automatically banned in your country the next day. Every country that signed the 1971 treaty — essentially every EU country — must schedule HHC under its own national law. Most have already done so. The remaining ones will do so in 2026.

2. The EU food safety agency set a provisional safe dose for CBD: about 2 mg per day. On 9 February 2026, EFSA published 0.0275 mg per kilogram of body weight — approximately 2 mg for a 70 kg adult. The rule applies to ingested CBD (oils, capsules, edibles), not to topicals. It is not a ban on CBD; it defines what labels and recommended doses must look like in future.

3. The Netherlands banned HHC on 28 January 2026. The Netherlands was the last major open market for HHC retail in Europe. HHC, HHCP and THCP were moved to List I of the Dutch Opium Act — the hard-narcotics schedule alongside heroin and MDMA. If you used to buy HHC when visiting Amsterdam or ordered from a Dutch web shop, that source is now closed.

Everything else in this article builds on those three facts.

How Europe got here — the bigger picture

Let us look at the bigger picture. Three years ago, HHC was not on any national drug schedule in Europe. You could enter a vape shop in Berlin, Prague or Amsterdam and find HHC on the shelf. That is a short period between "new product category" and "UN-controlled substance" — and the pattern behind it matters, because the same pattern will likely repeat for the next wave of derivatives.

2023 — the first wave. Austria was the first to act in March, Belgium in April, France in June via an ANSM arrêté, Germany the same month through an amendment to the NpSG. Each country acted independently. No coordinated EU decision, no single moment when the rules changed across the continent. Each national regulator looked at rising HHC sales, the absence of long-term safety data, and the fact that buyers often did not realise they were consuming a semi-synthetic cannabinoid, and decided to close the market.

2024–2025 — the trend expands. Spain followed in April 2025. Sweden and Finland finalised their decrees through December 2025, while Italy and Poland tightened enforcement against existing retail channels. Germany then extended its NpSG in December 2025 to cover H4CBD and the 10-OH derivatives. By mid-2025, HHC had effectively left retail shelves in most of the EU. The Netherlands was the one visible exception — and the UN had not yet taken a position.

The UN moment. At its 68th session from 10 to 14 March 2025, the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs voted to place HHC on Schedule II of the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, following a WHO Expert Committee recommendation. Forty-eight countries voted in favour; the United States abstained. The decision entered into force on 6 December 2025. Schedule II is the international list for substances with abuse potential but recognised medical use. The practical effect of that vote: every country that signed the 1971 treaty — 184 states, including every EU member — now has a treaty obligation to schedule HHC domestically. The remaining countries had to act.

The Netherlands changes course. 28 January 2026. HHC, HHCP and THCP were added to List I of the Dutch Opium Act — the same schedule as heroin and MDMA, not the lighter List II used for cannabis. That closed the last major European retail market for HHC. A month later, France extended its arrêté to cover 10-OH-HHC by name.

EFSA and the CBD figure. On the food-safety side, EFSA had been working for years on whether ingestible CBD could be authorised as a Novel Food and at what dose. On 9 February 2026, EFSA published a provisional safe intake level — 0.0275 mg per kg of body weight per day, approximately 2 mg for a 70 kg adult. It is not a ban. It is not the final Novel Food decision either. But it is the figure that every CBD brand in Europe is now using to revise its labels.

The pattern that matters for what comes next. European cannabinoid regulation has not moved through a single EU-level decision. It has moved decree by decree, with the broad analogue clauses of some national laws (Germany's NpSG, France's ANSM framework, Austria's NPSG, Hungary's 66/2012) automatically covering novel derivatives, while other countries (Sweden, Finland, Czechia) schedule strictly by name. That divergence explains why 10-OH-HHC and H4CBD are no longer sold in Berlin but still available in Prague. It is also why the next wave of derivatives — T9HC, 9H-HHC, HHC-A, THP420 — is appearing on retailer shelves faster than decrees can list them.

Is HHC still legal where you live?

Last full review: 22 April 2026. Every claim cites a primary source where available. Not legal advice.

This is the question most people are searching for right now, so we put it at the top. Hover over your country on the map for the current status, the date of the last change, and the source:

Three patterns stand out on this map — and each one means something different for you as a buyer.

Banned by name. Germany, France, Austria, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Finland, Czechia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece have HHC, HHCP and THCP on their national drug schedules. Retail sale is closed. Personal possession rules differ — Germany decriminalised personal use, for example — but you will not find HHC products in a licensed shop in any of these countries. If a website is advertising "discreet shipping of HHC" to an address in one of them, that is not a legal retail channel.

No decree yet — but enforcement anyway. Portugal and Croatia have not written an HHC-specific schedule entry. The UN treaty obligation from December 2025 applies to them regardless. Portugal is the cautionary example — Operation "Portugal Sempre Seguro 2026" is actively seizing products even without a named ban. Croatia is quieter but expected to follow. If your country shows ⚪ with a † next to HHC, do not read that as a safe grey zone.

Permit or pharmacy only. Belgium and Denmark regulate HHC through specific channels — pharmacy prescription in Belgium, a permit route in Denmark. HHC exists legally on paper in these countries, but not on open retail shelves.

Beyond HHC: CBD, derivatives and kratom

HHC is only part of the picture. The same country can have very different rules for CBD in oil form, for the newer HHC derivatives like 10-OH-HHC and H4CBD, for the T-series and the newest THC-adjacent compounds, and for kratom. The table below breaks them out one by one — it is designed for the moment you already know HHC is out in your country and you are looking at what else is on the shelf.

The columns that move fastest in 2026 are 10-OH-HHC, H4CBD and the T-series. If you are looking at one of those as a pivot away from HHC, check your country's column now — and check it again before your next order. These are the rows where national schedules catch up most often. The CBD oral column is far more stable: almost every country routes ingestible CBD through the Novel Food framework, while CBD topicals and the minor cannabinoids CBG, CBN and CBC remain openly on sale across every market in the table.

The two big 2026 stories: Netherlands and Portugal

Many countries changed their cannabinoid rules in 2026. Two of them changed the experience for consumers the most — the Netherlands and Portugal — and they did so in opposite ways. The Netherlands passed a large, public, formal decree and the market changed the next day. Portugal passed no decree at all, and the market changed anyway. Both cases are worth understanding if you travel, order online, or simply want to know how this may develop.

🇳🇱 Netherlands — the last open market closed

28 January 2026 was the single biggest commercial event in European cannabinoids in years. HHC, HHCP and THCP were added to List I of the Opium Act — the Dutch schedule for hard narcotics, alongside heroin and MDMA. That is a deliberately different list from List II, which is where cannabis itself sits. The Dutch government made a clear choice to classify semi-synthetic cannabinoids as "hard" rather than "soft", and the practical consequences followed immediately.

Dutch shops removed HHC-labelled products from sale on the day the amendment entered force. Web retailers stopped shipping. The well-known practice of flying to Amsterdam for a weekend to buy HHC — which was a common way for non-Dutch Europeans to source it — is now over. If you have read that some location in Amsterdam still sells HHC, the accurate answer in April 2026 is that no legal shop exists.

Two derivatives, 10-OH-HHC and H4CBD, were not named in the same extension. Some Dutch retailers adjusted their range and kept those products on the shelf. Whether this lasts depends entirely on whether the Dutch government writes a follow-up decree — and leaving a gap like this is unusual for the Dutch Ministry of Health. Most observers expect a follow-up within the next twelve months.

What has not changed in the Netherlands: the coffee-shop rules for THC cannabis, the CBD market, the CBG/CBN/CBC market, and the kratom market. All still normal retail. The specific area that closed is the semi-synthetic cannabinoid category — HHC and its closest chemical relatives.

🇵🇹 Portugal — raids without a decree

Portugal is the most unusual case in 2026 Europe. There is no HHC-specific entry on Portugal's national drug schedule. The decree that many European countries wrote between 2023 and 2025 — the one that formally adds HHC, HHCP and often the derivatives to the controlled-substances list — Portugal simply did not write. Technically, if you look at the text of Portuguese drug law, HHC is still unscheduled.

The reality on the ground is different. Since March 2026, Portuguese police and customs have been running Operation "Portugal Sempre Seguro 2026" — targeted raids on hemp shops, CBD retailers and cannabinoid vape shops across Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve. Products are being seized. Shops are being fined. Some have been closed. The legal basis is a combination of general drug law, customs authority, and Portugal's obligation under the UN decision that entered into force in December 2025 — which requires Portugal to treat HHC as controlled whether or not a domestic decree has been written.

The practical effect is the same as a ban even though no formal ban exists. A Portuguese retailer selling HHC today is in a difficult position. If you are travelling in Portugal and see a hemp shop with HHC products on display, do not buy them there. If you have ordered from a Portuguese online retailer and your shipment is stuck in customs, that is the result of the operation. A formal schedule update is expected in 2026; what is happening now is the enforcement reality arriving before the paperwork catches up.

The Portuguese case matters beyond Portugal, because it shows that the UN treaty obligation from December 2025 is being actively enforced even before national decrees are written. If you are in one of the other "no-decree" countries in the table (Croatia is the other one), do not assume the absence of a specific national rule means consumer-side safety.

What this looks like in other big markets

The table is the fast answer for every country. A few additional details the table does not show:

🇩🇪 Germany — HHC is permanently off the shelf. The ban covers HHC, HHCP, THCP, and since December 2025 the derivatives as well, including 10-OH-HHC and H4CBD, via the BfArM-administered NpSG. Personal possession of HHC is not a criminal offence in Germany, but retail sale is, which is why shops removed the products.

🇫🇷 France — The ANSM arrêté of 16 January 2026 formally covers 10-OH-HHC in addition to the 2023 HHC/HHCP listing. If you are in France and looking for something beyond standard CBD, there is currently no legal alternative inside the HHC family.

🇨🇿 Czechia — The most liberal EU market for CBD and kratom. The Psychomodulatory Substances Act (January 2025) licenses kratom and hemp products up to 1% THC. HHC itself is banned, but the surrounding framework is the most consumer-friendly on the continent.

🇭🇷 Croatia — The other country still without an HHC-specific decree. The situation is quieter than in Portugal — no equivalent of Operation Portugal Sempre Seguro so far — but Croatia is treaty-bound since December 2025 and is expected to publish a rule in 2026.

Every other country in the table follows a similar pattern: HHC family banned by name or by group clause, CBD oral under Novel Food, kratom varies. If your country shows ⚪ in the grey-zone column, that indicates a grey zone which may be closed at short notice.

CBD at 2 mg a day — what that actually means

The EFSA figure is easy to misread, so let us go through it step by step.

2 mg is a small amount. A typical 10 ml bottle of 10% CBD oil contains 1,000 mg — one full bottle is 500 days' worth at the provisional safe level. Many oil products currently recommend doses well above 2 mg per day. That wording will be rewritten across the industry in 2026.

The rule applies only to food and food supplements. CBD balms, massage oils, CBD-infused skincare — none of these are affected. The 2 mg figure specifically concerns products you eat, drink or ingest.

The purity requirement is strict. The 2 mg figure assumes CBD at 98% purity or higher. That is the purity of CBD isolate. Full-spectrum and broad-spectrum oils — which most people prefer for flavour and the entourage effect — are harder to align with the EFSA framework. A reputable shop publishes the Certificate of Analysis for each batch; check it before buying.

Under 25, pregnant, breastfeeding, or on medication — consult a doctor first. EFSA was specific that the 2 mg figure does not apply to these groups because the data is insufficient. This does not mean CBD is forbidden for these groups — it means the general 2 mg figure does not apply and individual medical advice is required.

HHC, 10-OH-HHC, H4CBD: how they differ

The naming can be confusing. Quick explanations in plain language.

HHC (hexahydrocannabinol) — a hydrogenated version of THC. Adding hydrogen atoms to THC produces HHC. Similar effect, not identical. HHC occurs in cannabis in trace amounts naturally, which is why it is described as "semi-synthetic" rather than fully synthetic.

HHCP and THCP — longer side-chain relatives of HHC and THC. Typically more potent gram for gram. Usually banned together with HHC.

10-OH-HHC — a hydroxylated form of HHC. The human liver produces a similar compound after HHC is consumed. When sold as a product, it is typically synthesised directly. Chemically distinct from HHC even though biologically closely related.

H4CBD — hydrogenated CBD. Unlike regular CBD, it has mild psychoactive effects. Relatively new on the market.

T8HC, T9HC, 9H-HHC, HHC-A, THP420 — these are the derivatives Canapuff and other European retailers have been introducing through 2024 and 2025. They occupy a similar regulatory space to 10-OH-HHC: not yet named on every national schedule. Their legality depends on whether your country's drug law names them specifically or uses a broad analogue clause that covers them automatically.

Why the legal status differs between molecules: when a government writes a drug schedule, it usually names substances by their full chemical name. If the decree was written before 10-OH-HHC or T9HC appeared on the commercial market, those molecules are not on the list — even though HHC is. Some countries (Germany, France, Austria, Hungary) use group clauses that cover structurally similar substances by default. Most do not.

Travelling with cannabinoids in 2026

In short: customs officials check against their own national schedule, not against the country where you bought the product. "Legal at origin" does not mean legal at destination.

Do not carry HHC across international borders. The UN decision that entered into force in December 2025 means customs agencies now treat HHC the same way they treat other controlled psychotropics. There is no country in Europe right now where carrying HHC across an international border is a clearly legal action, and in several countries it is a serious criminal offence. If you use HHC products and want to travel, consider the trip a break from using them.

Travelling with CBD is usually possible, within limits. The under-0.2% or under-0.3% THC threshold is recognised across most European markets for CBD-only products. Keep the original packaging, carry the Certificate of Analysis, use topicals or clearly labelled oils, and you will have fewer problems if anyone asks questions. The Kanavape ruling (CJEU C-663/18) protects cross-border CBD sale inside the EU, but individual shipments can still be stopped if the declared THC level is above the destination's threshold.

10-OH-HHC, H4CBD, T-series. Grey-zone status in your home country does not mean grey-zone status at the border. If your destination country has a broad analogue clause (Germany, France, Austria, Hungary), these products are treated as controlled substances on entry even if the sender country has not named them specifically. Check before you travel, or leave them at home.

Where this is heading in 2026–2027

Predicting regulation is difficult. The overall direction is still visible.

More decrees closing the grey zones. The countries that have not yet named 10-OH-HHC, H4CBD or the T-series by name almost certainly will. Expected in the next twelve months: a Dutch follow-up decree on derivatives (the Netherlands almost always closes such gaps), Swedish and Finnish updates when their classification committees next meet, Italian schedule revisions. If you are buying in one of those markets today and want something stable, do not assume the newest derivatives will stay available.

EFSA's final Novel Food opinion on CBD. The February 2026 figure is provisional. A final opinion, and a decision on CBD's Novel Food authorisation as a category, are expected through 2026 and into 2027. The most likely outcome: authorised at a specific dose with strict purity and labelling requirements, not a blanket ban. Watch for updates on the label of your preferred oil.

More consistency, less divergence. The EUDA (European Union Drugs Agency, formerly EMCDDA) is increasingly encouraging member states towards consistent approaches on novel psychoactive substances. A harmonised EU-level ban on semi-synthetic cannabinoids is not expected in 2026, but more information-sharing and faster national responses are. The gap between a product entering the market and being scheduled in your country will become shorter.

Minor cannabinoids are stabilising. CBG, CBN and CBC are not under consideration for scheduling in any European market. All three occur naturally, product quality improved significantly through 2025, and consumer interest continues to grow as the HHC category contracts. For anyone looking for the cannabinoid category with the least regulatory turbulence, this is the one.

Our view: what European regulation got right, what it got wrong

We will be direct: not every part of the 2025–2026 regulatory sweep was wise. Some of it was overdue, some of it was disproportionate, and some of it actively pushes consumers towards worse products instead of safer ones. A short, honest read from the retail side.

Right: classifying HHC at the UN level created a reference point regulators, customs officers and retailers had been missing. Three years of country-by-country decrees had produced a map where the same product was a hard narcotic on one side of a border and openly for sale on the other. Travellers were being caught off-guard. A shared baseline is better for consumer safety than fifteen different national frameworks.

Right: EFSA finally publishing a figure for CBD. The label on a 10% oil has been a guess for years — 50 mg per drop, 100 mg, 200 mg, whatever the manufacturer thought sounded good. A 2 mg benchmark is strict. It is also defensible, data-driven, and puts the responsibility on brands to either meet it or justify why their product sits above it. The CBD industry needed that discipline.

Wrong: the Netherlands' choice to place HHC on List I alongside heroin and MDMA. There is a reason cannabis itself sits on List II, not List I. HHC's risk profile is closer to THC than to opioids. Schedule-shopping a semi-synthetic cannabinoid onto the hard-narcotics list was a political decision, not a pharmacological one, and it makes the Dutch framework harder to defend internationally.

Wrong: Portugal enforcing without a decree. Operation "Portugal Sempre Seguro 2026" has targeted hemp shops and small retailers before the Portuguese parliament has written a single line defining what is and is not legal. That sequence is the wrong way round. Retailers cannot comply with a rule that has not been published. Consumers cannot tell a legitimate product from a prohibited one. A clear decree first, enforcement second — that is the order that protects both the public and the market.

Unfinished: the derivatives question. T9HC, 9H-HHC, HHC-A, 10-OH-HHC, H4CBD are either banned by name in one country, banned by analogue clause in another, and openly for sale in a third. The UN did not address them in the March 2025 vote. EU member states are responding on different timelines. In practice, this means the consumer who switches from HHC to one of these compounds is buying a product whose legal status may change between the moment they order and the moment the package arrives. That is not a stable retail environment. A coordinated EU-level response on derivatives — not just HHC itself — is what would actually close the grey zone.

The overall direction is towards a cleaner, better-regulated market for cannabinoid products in Europe. The transition is messy, which is why this guide exists.

What is still available — a clear shortlist

If you used HHC products and now need alternatives, here is what is currently in the Canapuff catalogue in 2026 and worth considering. The clearest pattern we see: customers looking for an HHC alternative this spring tend to try a minor-cannabinoid product (CBG, CBN or a quality CBD) before they try a newer semi-synthetic derivative. The minor cannabinoids are not on any European narcotics schedule, the quality has improved, and the legal status is not expected to change.

Minor cannabinoids: CBG, CBN, CBC

None of the three is on any European narcotics list. CBG is receiving a lot of attention right now — the plant quality from CBG-chemotype hemp improved significantly through 2025, and many people who previously chose HHC flower now try CBG flower as a daytime alternative. CBN has a reputation for being calming and is often sold in evening and sleep products. CBC is newer to the mass market but has no regulatory restrictions.

Quality CBD, used under the new guidance

CBD in 2026 is in a better position than it has been in years. Topicals are clearly legal across all 18 markets in the table. Ingestible CBD is legal under Novel Food conditions. The EFSA provisional dose provides the industry with a clear figure, Certificate of Analysis standards have matured, and the Kanavape ruling protects cross-border retail.

T-series, 9H-HHC, HHC-A and H4CBD — where they are still available

In markets where these derivatives are not specifically named on the national schedule, retailers sell them in place of HHC. Canapuff lists T9HC, 9H-HHC, HHC-A, H4CBD and THP420 in the countries where they are legal to ship. Prices and availability adjust automatically based on your shipping country — if a product is greyed out at checkout, it cannot ship to you under current rules. Honest advice: consider these a short-term category. Several countries are expected to publish updates in 2026 that will close the gap.

Kratom (where your country allows it)

Kratom is not a cannabinoid — it comes from a different plant entirely — but it is sold in the same shops and appeals to the same audience that looks for natural, relaxing products. The Czech framework is the clearest regulatory environment in Europe. Belgium and Denmark use permit-based systems. Poland, Romania, Hungary, Italy and Sweden are closed markets.

How to tell if a product is legitimate — a quick buyer's checklist

Canapuff products ship with lab-tested COAs for every batch, age verification at checkout, and country-specific availability logic. More than 485,000 customers, 89% five-star reviews — the basic safety standards are met.

A note on our sources

Every regulatory claim in this article links to a primary source where one exists in English, or to an authoritative legal-publication summary where the original is in the national language. Core EU-level sources: EFSA (food safety), EUDA (European Union Drugs Agency, formerly EMCDDA), and the European Court of Justice. National sources: ANSM (France), BfArM (Germany), AEMPS (Spain), Lægemiddelstyrelsen (Denmark), Fimea (Finland), Istituto Superiore di Sanità (Italy). Every country entry in the table was verified against a primary source on 22 April 2026. Regulations in this area move quickly; if you notice an entry that no longer matches the current rule in your country, our customer-service team is the correct contact and the link is in the site footer.

Disclaimer

This article is an informational guide for Canapuff customers. It is not legal advice and it is not medical advice. Regulations in this area change quickly, sometimes within days. We update the guide regularly, but if you are planning anything that depends on exact legal status — travelling with a product, large online orders, anything involving customs — check your country's current rules directly or consult a qualified professional. For questions about a specific Canapuff product and where it can ship, our customer-service team is the correct contact; the contact link is in the site footer.

Browse the Canapuff shop

If the rules in your country have changed what you can buy and you are looking for alternatives that will remain available, these categories are worth exploring:

• CBD — oils, flowers, topicals
• CBG — the most-requested daytime alternative to HHC
• CBN — for evening and sleep
• H4CBD — mild psychoactive, where legal
• 9H-HHC · T9HC · HHC-A · THP420 — newer derivatives, country-dependent
• THCA · THCv — where national rules allow
• Sleep Problems · Stress Relief · Pain Relief — by use case

Prices and product availability adjust automatically based on your shipping country. If a product is greyed out at checkout, it cannot ship to you under current rules.