Does HHC Show Up in a Urine Test?

We’ve made strides toward legalizing Cannabis, but the stigma around it still exists. Many institutions frown upon it, so you can get in trouble if a drug test detects cannabinoids in your body. It is especially true for athletes, professionals, and other consumers in the fields where the beloved plant is a taboo.

When HHC showed up, some manufacturers of Cannabis products started advertising it as an evasive cannabinoid that doesn’t get detected in tests. So, does HHC show up in a urine test, or is this only a marketing ploy? We’ll shed some light on the matter so you can avoid exposing yourself to risks.

HHC Drug Test—Myths vs. Facts

The claims that HHC won’t appear in a urine test are bold and give hope to users who can’t use Cannabis as freely as they’d like. Unfortunately, there isn’t a shred of scientific proof to confirm them. All evidence is purely anecdotal and comes from users who have reported passing tox screenings despite using the cannabinoid.

At this point, all we can do is assume such users got lucky, as many others haven’t experienced the same outcome. You shouldn’t rely on unconfirmed rumors and hope for the best if you have a test coming up.

THC vs. HHC—Different, but Similar Enough

Source: Harrison Haines

HHC is a THC isomer obtained through hydrogenation. The cannabinoid does occur naturally in the plant, but only in trace amounts, so this process is necessary to produce enough HHC for different uses.

Structurally, there’s not much difference between HHC and its more famous sibling. As the name implies, hydrogenation saturates the THC molecule with hydrogen atoms, breaking its double bonds in the process. Besides the presence of hydrogen, the molecule stays the same, except it’s more stable and has a longer shelf life due to better resistance to heat and UV light.

The main benefit of this similarity is HHC’s potency. It effectively binds to your endocannabinoid receptors, causing a stronger high than other derived cannabinoids like delta 8 and delta 10.

The downside from the drug test perspective is that THC and HHC are metabolized pretty similarly. Your liver enzymes break them apart, leaving behind metabolites that the test scans for. THC’s main active metabolite is 11-hydroxy-THC, or THC-COOH, while HHC releases a minor metabolite,11-hydroxy-HHC.

A study confirming this similarity in metabolization involved rodents, but we can assume the process is not much different in humans. While we still don’t have any definitive proof, the consensus is that a urine test doesn’t differentiate between THC and HHC metabolites, so using HHC can make you fail it.

Cross-Contamination—An Added Risk

HHC products are relatively new, which leaves room for subpar options. If you don’t buy from a reputable manufacturer who has their products scrutinized by independent labs, your HHC product might contain trace amounts of THC. This seemingly insignificant amount can be enough to make you fail a tox screening even if HHC metabolites don’t appear on the test.

To stay safe, it’s best to abstain from all Cannabis products if you know you’ll get tested. How long will you have to go without your favorite plant? Let’s figure it out!

How Long Does HHC Stay in Your Urine?

Source: Terrance Barksdale

The main factor to consider when determining the HHC detection window is the frequency of use. There still hasn’t been enough research to outline precise timeframes, but here’s what we know:

Each body is different, and several factors can influence the timeframe:

• Metabolism rate—Young people and those with quick metabolism will eliminate HHC from their bodies more efficiently. You can increase your metabolism rate with a proper diet and regular exercise
• Body fat levels—Cannabis metabolites are stored in fat deposits, so users with a higher BMI will retain them for longer. Vigorous exercise can burn fat cells quickly and help you flush out HHC faster
• Dosage—The more HHC you use, the more metabolites your body will store. Decreasing the dose will lower the overall amount of the cannabinoid and its metabolites

The good news is that boosting the dose of a cannabinoid isn’t the only way to fly higher. A better alternative is to use products rich in terpenes—aromatic compounds that occur naturally in Cannabis and give it a distinct aroma while being entirely legal.

Besides adding more flavor to your baking sessions, terpenes help cannabinoids bind to your endocannabinoid receptors effectively, inducing the much-desired entourage effect. This interplay of different Cannabis compounds causes an intense high you can’t get from cannabinoids alone. Terpenes fine-tune your buzz and entail numerous pleasant sensations, from stronger sedation to increased energy and creativity.

Preserving the terpene profile of Cannabis strains and commercial products is essential to feel the plane’s full potential, so Alpine Vapor Hemp came up with a revolutionary way to make it happen.

Alpine Live Resin Infused Hemp—Fly High With Terpenes

Our products focus on terpene content and potent cannabinoids, and here’s how we create them:

1. We source Cannabis for terpenesfrom the Emerald Triangle and Central Coast of California. The plants’ flowers contain high amounts of aromatic resin and express the famous terroir’s signature properties
2. Terpenes peak two weeks before THC, so this is when we harvest the flowers. We immediately freeze them with liquid nitrogen to lock in the aromas and flavors. The flowers are placed on dry ice when shipped to the extraction site
3. We apply the hydrocarbon technique to separate live resin from the frozen flowers, preserving the entire terpene profile. Our cold separation process extracts these flavorful compounds in low-temperature, low-oxygen conditions to prevent oxidation
4. After obtaining this terpene gold, we infuse it into hemp-derived HHC distillate. Our selection also includes other potent cannabinoids like THC-O and delta 8

Explore our Live Resin Infused Hemp HHC products, and take full advantage of the entourage effect to fly higher than ever.

Image (c) Alpine

Safe and Sound

Our process leaves no room for contamination with pesticides and heavy metals. Each product goes through rigorous testing by third-party labs, so you can check the results attesting to their purity and safety.

We can’t promise HHC won’t show up in a urine test, but we can help you avoid legal issues. According to the 2018 Farm Bill, all hemp-derived products are federally legal, and our blends fall into this category. Still, some states don’t allow HHC, so we’ll let you know if our products are banned in your jurisdiction before you make a purchase.

Order Alpine Vapor Hemp's Live Resin Infused Vape, THC Gummies, and THCa Flower Hemp Products

Order Alpine Vapor Hemp products and get 20% off your first purchase. All you need to do is:

1. Create an account
2. Get a discount coupon
3. Purchase a vape you like

You can get another 20% coupon if you refer a friend. Send us a list of your friends and their email address, and we'll send them a 20% off coupon on your behalf! If they use your coupon to make a purchase, we will send you another coupon for 20% off!

Alpine also pays close attention to the legal issues concerning Cannabis-based products, so before you purchase our vapes, we will tell you if they are legal in your state. 

Don’t Settle for Mediocre Hardware

Alpine vape carts focus on durability and ease of use. The juice only touches non-reactive materials like glass, ceramic, and cubic zirconia. This keeps our juices pure and ensures unrestricted airflow.

To get the most out of each puff, try our Apex battery. It lets you personalize your baking sessions with four color-coded voltage points:

Our batteries are compatible with all 510-thread carts and come with a USB-C charger. They also feature an LED status indicator and auto shutdown for better energy control. With a capacity of 260mAh, the Apex will help you get a rewarding buzz throughout the day. 

Image (c) Alpine

Featured image source: RF._.studio