How to use a bong?

A bong is a tool in the form of a water pipe for smoking cannabis. Think of weed or hash. If you are going to smoke weed with a bong for the first time, it is of course important to know how a bong is used. It is also useful to know that there are many types of bongs and that there is a range of accessories. We explain how to use a bong and what you should pay attention to.

How to use a bong: the parts

A bong consists of a tube where you put the water at the bottom. Another type is a beaker bong, which looks like a beaker made of glass. All kinds of variants are made with extra functionalities to make an ice bong. The ice cubes are then held back by a notch. Bongs also contain all kinds of other features, such as air chambers (percolator bongs) or water chambers. 

A bong has a tube to which different names apply, such as chillum or down pipe. Attached to the tube is a bowl, into which you put the cannabis. A bong is not a real water pipe (sisha) because that is equipped with a hose to smoke water pipe tobacco. This involves the use of coals. A bong is meant to smoke hash or weed and a water pipe is used to smoke tobacco. 

Steps for using a bong

It is a very different experience to smoke hash or weed from a bong than in the form of a joint or with the use of a fire pipe. You smoke it differently, and therefore the step-by-step plan of how to use a bong comes in handy. You start with the basics: filling the bong with water. Are you making it an ice bong? Then in the second step you add ice cubes. 

Then you take the hash or weed and put it in the bong bowl. Now you are ready to use the bong and smoke cannabis. You do this by placing your mouth at the opening of the bong and placing your thumb on the kick hole. Light the hash or weed and inhale. Be sure to puff your lips a little to make inhaling smoke easier. Want to pass the bong to someone else or take a break? Then place your hand on the mouthpiece. 

This way you prevent the smoke from escaping. If you want to inhale the rest of the smoke, remove your finger from the hole and use it to supply the bong with extra air. This provides extra suction and works the best if there is still thick smoke to get stoned in one go. If there is no kick hole, lift the bowl to achieve the same effect.

Summary of steps

  1. Put water in the bong
  2. Fill with ice for an ice bong
  3. Put hash or weed in the bowl
  4. Place your mouth around the mouthpiece
  5. Cover the kick hole with your finger
  6. Lightly light the hash or weed and inhale
  7. Place your hand on the opening of the bong
  8. Remove your finger from the kick hole

How to fill a bong with water

It is important to put the right amount of water in your bong. If there is a standard bong, you fill it as far as possible with water. If you have a downstem, let it run under water. Don’t put so much water in that the water comes up through the bowl or flows out of the air hole. Then the hash or weed gets wet and that is not the intention. Besides, you don’t want the water to get into your mouth when you inhale smoke. 

When filling with water, keep in mind the shaft will be about 1.5 to 3 centimeters (0.59 to 1.20 inches) under. That is where you inhale the smoke from, is where you fill the bong with water. 

The function of the water in your bong

The water has its own function and that is to cool the smoke. If the bong does not contain enough water, the bong cannot be used to its full potential and loses some of its effect. 

Tips for cleaning after using bong

It is recommended that while using the bong, you change the water from time to time. This ensures that the taste of smoke remains optimal. Moreover, the water then filters better and the smoke is cooled efficiently. The bong also becomes less easily polluted. 

After use, it is important to clean the bong properly, but wait until you are no longer stoned. Enjoy the moment and clean the bong when the effect has worn off. In this way, the cannabis smoking device remains neat and tidy and odors disappear. 

A clean bong can simply be left as a showpiece in your room, as it is like a work of art to look at.

What do you need to smoke a bong?

First, you need a bong and a good cannabis strain. You will also need water at your disposal and possibly ice cubes if you are using an ice bong. Then you need a lighter or matches to light the weed. It is handy to have a pair of scissors handy to cut the weed into pieces. Herb grinders are also available for the grinding of the weed, which makes it even easier. 

Additional tips for using a bong

Using a bong for the first time is uncomfortable, but using a bong gets used quickly. Especially if you consider the following tips on how to use a bong. 

Inhaling the smoke

When lighting the hash or weed, you only need to hold the lighter or burning match to the weed for a few seconds, at the same time inhaling slowly. The moment the cannabis burns you remove the flame, but continue to inhale. 

As long as you suck on the bong, the contents of the bowl will continue to burn. Do not inhale too deeply or for too long. It is advisable not to hold the smoke in your lungs for a long time, but rather to blow it out. The active substances (THC) in cannabis are absorbed immediately when you inhale. No extra effect is to be expected if you hold the smoke for a long time.

Smoking a bong together

If you smoke a bong together with others, you can clean the mouthpiece in between, for example with a tissue. Furthermore, if you smoke a bong together, it is advisable to light only a small part of the bowl. This can be done by taking a corner, holding the fire carefully above the edge. In this way, the fire only comes into contact with a small portion of the weed or hash. This gives everyone the opportunity to smoke a piece of version weed or hash. In addition, by doing so you avoid unnecessary waste. If after the round of a bong only ash is visible, then it is useful to clean it for the next round.

Brown water in your bong

When using a bong, you will see that the water takes on a color and turns brown. It is therefore advisable to put fresh water in the bong after about ten inhalations. This will save you a lot of time after smoking because cleaning your bong will be easier.

Cough after inhaling

There is a chance that when using a bong, you may experience a coughing fit after inhaling. Does this happen more often? Then it might be due to the way you inhale. In that case, it is advisable to relax a bit and consciously inhale and exhale slowly. It may also help to take small puffs. If you continue to have coughing fits, then it is an idea to use ice water. This will soothe the inhaling process. Another solution is to use one of the best percolator bongs, with which smoking a bong causes less irritation in your throat.

Variation tips for more taste experience

Water from the tap can be used for the bong, but there are also all kinds of variations you can make from it. For example, by adding lemon peels to the water or even a red wine for a special taste experience. However, it is not recommended to use liquor because it is bad for your health. Should you use drinks with sugar, make sure you clean the bong thoroughly afterwards before using it again.

Henry Sullivan from Smoke Around
About the author

Henry Sullivan, born in 1988, is an avid cannabis user. Henry has worked in cannabis dispensaries since the age of 18. His favorite strain is the Jack Haze strain. Henry studied at the University of Denver, since then, he lives in different places in the USA. His favorite cannabis cities are Amsterdam and Calgary.

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