BY: ALEX BROWN
One beekeeper has captivated an online audience of stoners with his latest project, “canna-honey.” Marijuana smokers may be familiar with the term, which refers to a type of oil-like substance produced from refined THC crystals otherwise known as “kief.” The honey is produced from bee foraging and conversion, which poses a number of interesting and unique benefits.
The French beekeeper behind the project is operating under the moniker Nicolas Trainerbees, for obvious reasons. “Everything that passes through the body of a bee is improved,” Trainerbees told Now This Weed.
So far, his video of bees swarming the marijuana plants has over 9 million views. “I have trained bees to do several things, such as collect sugar from fruits instead of using flowers,” Trainerbees told dinafem.org. According to Mirror, experts have claimed that the honey produced from cannabis could prove to be “intoxicating” for humans. However, because bees do not have an endocannabinoid system—a cluster of receptors in the human brain oft-used for stoner self-justification—the insects are not able to enjoy the plant’s inebriating effects.
Rather than collect pollen, which is only produced by the non-flowering male cannabis plant, Trainerbees has purportedly taught his bees to collect and convert the actual resin of the female plant—the same resin used to make hash. Many have expressed doubt about Trainerbees product, as bees are anatomically designed to collect nectar and pollen—what might they want with cannabis resin? However Trainerbees, who can evidently vouch for the effectiveness of his product, has claimed that his spreadable “canna-honey,” which tastes flowery with a hint of marijuana, does have a “medicinal” effect. The director of public affairs at the British Beekeepers Association also told Mirror that bees can in fact be trained to seek alternative compounds—they can even be trained to detect explosives.
The future of “canna-honey” is unclear, and considering the few things we know about Trainerbees—he’s French with a passion for bees, weed and secrecy—it seems likely that he would hail from a region where weed is neither legal nor tolerated, namely France. He’s also disclosed no intention of releasing the product on the open market. But who knows? Maybe a few beekeepers in Washington or Colorado will find themselves inspired by Trainerbees eclectic practice.
