This Hallucinogenic Honey Has People Risking Their Lives To Get Some

The Himalayan honeybee is the largest bee in the world, twice as large as any bee in America. What’s special about the bee, other than it’s size and unpleasant sting, is the honey that it produces: a rare, hallucinogenic nectar that people pay hundreds per pound for.

National Geographic’s second Explorer episode focuses on a man in Nepal who is one of the last hunters of this honey. A team of filmmakers journey to the other side of the world to follow this man as he collects Himalayan bee honey.

The honey contains a toxin collected from the rhododendron flower that can get you blitzed, making it a highly sought after commodity in the black market. You can purchase the nectar for $166 a pound if you know where to look.

Effects of the honey include dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, loss of consciousness, and flatlining. However, if you can push past all those factors, the honey will also alter your mental state, give you hallucinations, and improve your sexual performance.

In ancient times, according to NatGeo, the honey was used as a weapon. Soldiers were tricked into eating it to turn the tides of wars.

To collect the precious nectar, Honey Hunters take a bamboo rope ladder, dangle 300 feet above the ground over the edge of a cliff, and risk the stings of gargantuan Himalayan honeybees just to harvest the hallucinogenic honey.

Check out the video to see the team brave serious heights just to get some of the mind-altering honey.