You enjoy smoking cannabis for medical purposes and beyond. There’s only one issue with it. Inhaling puts a serious strain on your throat.
There’s got to be a solution that doesn’t set your lungs on fire. The answer is a bong. The water cools the smoke down before you breathe it in.
This results in a much smoother hit. This benefit will make all the work setting up the device more than worth it.
Speaking of that, looking at all the parts can be daunting for many newbies. We can teach you how to use a bong without all the headache. Keep reading to get started.
Table of Contents
Parts of a Bong
We’re going to be throwing a lot of terms your way during our explanation. Instead of telling you what they all mean as we get to them, we’ll go ahead and run through them all.
Bowl
The bowl is a large round piece that’s found at the base of the bong. It’s the thing that holds your ground herb. Most of the time, it’s made out of the same material as the rest of the bong.
Downstem
Your downstem is a long tube that connects right to the bowl. It extends down to the lowest chamber of the bong where the water is held. Its job is to filter the smoke through the water before it reaches your mouth.
Ice Chamber
A lot of bongs have an ice chamber built-in. It serves to cool the smoke down before you breathe it into your lungs.
Since the water performs a similar job, it’s all up to you if you want to add ice into the mix or not. Note that if you do, it will make things much easier on your poor lungs.
Mouthpiece
The mouthpiece is the large opening at the top of the device. This is where you place your mouth to breathe in the smoke. It’s pretty self-explanatory.
How to Use a Bong?
Now that you’re familiar with all the parts, we can jump right into using your bong. Don’t let all the assembling confuse or scare you. It’s not as complicated as you may think.
Do the Prep Work
There’s a little prep work that you’ll have to do before you begin your weed smoking session. The first step is to remove the downstem. You’ll then pour water through the hole left behind.
The amount of water you’ll need all depends on the type of device you have. If you buy a bong from the online head shop that’s on the larger side, it will obviously need more water, for example.
You can test if you have the right amount of water by doing a pull without lighting up the device. The water should bubble without touching your lips.
Again, we do recommend putting ice in the chamber if your bong has that feature. If you don’t want to make that part of your prep work, you don’t have to, though.
Fill Up the Bowl
The next step is to remove your bowl. If this isn’t your first time using the bong, you may need to clean it out. If you don’t, your hit is going to taste a little off.
After you’ve ensured that you’ve got a clean bowl, you’ll need to grind up your weed. It won’t burn evenly otherwise. Obviously, the best way to go about this is with a grinder. If you don’t have one, you can use scissors
You can also use normal household materials like a pepper or coffee grinder. Once it’s ground to your liking, you’re going to loosely pack your bowl. You don’t want to go overboard.
Start Smoking
Now it’s time for the fun part. Once you have everything assembled, you’ll get to finally use your bong. Place it on a flat surface and hold a lighter up to the bowl.
Bring your lips to the mouthpiece and create a seal where no air can get through. Begin inhaling as the fire heats up the cannabis. You’ll know it’s working when the stem begins to fill with white smoke.
Once the chamber is completely filled, take the bowl out of the stem. Don’t forget to continue inhaling as you do this. When you remove the bowl, it will allow for better airflow so you can breathe the smoke into your lungs.
Cleaning Your Bong
When you’re done with your smoking session, you’ll need to clean out your bong. Failing to do so will leave it smelling sort of funky after a while. Letting it get gunked up won’t do wonders for your device’s lifespan.
The good news is that getting it looking pristine again isn’t too difficult. For the most part, all you need is a little bit of rubbing alcohol to get the job done.
First things first, remove the bowl and empty the ash. After that, place it in a plastic bag with the alcohol and shake it around a little. Work the bowl around in the bag with your fingers.
When you’re sure that the alcohol has worked its magic, take the bowl out of the bag and rinse it off with water. Repeat these steps with the rest of the parts of your bong.
Get the Most Out of Your Bong
Using a bong is a great way to get your dose of cannabis without setting your poor lungs on fire. Looking at all the parts can feel a little daunting. It isn’t as difficult to use as you may think, however.
As long as you follow the steps that we’ve provided, you’ll be able to learn how to use a bong and make the most out of it. For more guides that will help you through all life’s mysteries, visit the How To section of our blog.