I know I know, some of you are thinking, “who on earth does not know what a bong is?” Well I am here to tell you that this huge, fast growing cannabis industry has a LOT of first time users. Some of these first timers are also more “mature” so to speak, and have zero experience with any of the terms and devices used by more experienced cannabis users. So I feel it is a nice gesture to NOT assume that first time users know all of these funky items that makes cannabis use so fun…like a bong.

So let’s say what a bong is first. A bong is also known as a water pipe and can come in all shapes, sizes and styles. But basically a bong consists of a base (that holds the water), a down stem piece that goes in a hole that is built into the base and then a bowl (the area that holds your cannabis as you light it and sits atop the down stem). The base usually is larger at the bottom (again the area that holds the water) and then tapers as the glass piece rises from the base (the tube). The tube length varies a lot from piece to piece. The length changes the temperature of the smoke. The longer the tube, the more the smoke has a chance to cool.

So basically then a bong is something that you inhale the smoke through after it has a chance to cool down in the water that is in the base of the bong. The water removes heat but it also removes some impurities as well which is one of the reasons using a bong is so popular.

Some bong designs include what they call an ice pincher. This is an area inside the tube that is designed to hold ice cubes so they won’t fall down completely into the base. So when ice is added, the smoke goes down into the water (via the down stem) and cools and then travels up the tube through the ice and cools even more allowing for a very smooth and less harsh draw on your chosen cannabis.

Pros of a bong. As was mentioned, it allows for a much cooler, less harsh smoking experience. It also allows for a large intake of cannabis with one inhale thereby quickening the onset of the effects.

Cons of a bong. If you enjoy the tastes of cannabis as you smoke it, you will lose some of that enjoyment when using a bong. Some simply enjoy the process of rolling and then smoking their cannabis and that is lost with this intake method. So if you are more of a purest who loves to distinguish the terpenes found in your flower, you will most likely not want to use a bong as frequently as rolling a joint.

We could go into styles and materials that are used in bong manufacturing, but I feel like this is sufficient for a cannabis 101 installment. If you are a new cannabis user, I would love to hear from you in the comments. How has your experience been so far? What intake methods have you tried? if you are an experienced user…bong or joint?