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The construction of a bong and its principle of action is similar to that of the hookah, which is also called "water pipe". Smoking a bong contrasts with smoking a pipe or cigarette in two major ways: bongs cool the smoke before it enters the user’s lungs (making it easier to smoke), and a large amount of smoke is inhaled quickly as opposed to the smaller, more frequent, inhalations of pipe and cigarette smoking.
EtymologyThe word bong is an adaptation of Thai baung (Thai: บ้อง), a cylindrical wooden tube, pipe, or container cut from bamboo. The Thai word passed into the English language during the Vietnam War when five American military bases were located in Thailand. One of the earliest recorded uses of the word dates to a piece in the January 1971 issue of the Marijuana Review.
How a bong worksThe user holds a flame over the substance to be smoked. As the user inhales, the smoke travels through a hollow pipe that is attached to the bottom of the bowl containing the smokeable material. The pipe enters into a vessel containing water. The hole through which this stem passes is airtight, and the bottom of the pipe is submerged in the water. The smoke rises through the water, cools, and is trapped in the air chamber above the water. At the side of the container above the water level, there is usually a small hole which is kept covered up with a finger until the point when sufficient smoke has been held in the air gap. Its purpose is to allow an easy passage of air into the container when the smoke is finally inhaled into the lungs. The fresh air from this hole helps to cool the smoke further. Bongs of more expensive design can sometimes feature ice catchers, which allow ice to be stored in the main chamber where smoke resides. This ice can cool the smoke to below room temperature, sometimes allowing smokers to intake significantly more smoke and hold it in the lungs for a longer duration.
Using a bongThe base is filled with water, the amount depending on the size of the bong. Sometimes other liquids are used, although alcohol and oils filter out a certain percentage of the THC when used for smoking marijuana. More rarely, liquids like Hawaiian Punch or herbal teas are used; however, such liquids can make cleaning difficult and time-consuming. - # The substance to be smoked is packed into the bowl and ignited. Cigarette lighters are usually used for igniting the substance. Sometimes matches are used, but they may produce an unpleasant taste, and are less reliable than lighters. In smoking marijuana, it is also possible to use a low temperature soldering tool to light the substance to be smoked, or even a magnifying glass in order to heat the substance to the exact temperature at which it burns, thus avoiding any over-heating and therefore, theoretically, loss of THC. - # The user places his/her lips on the mouth piece, forming a seal, and inhales, causing the flame to be drawn toward the substance. An inhalation is known as a "hit", "pull" or "rip." If the smoker is using a larger bong, the first hit contains no smoke; Its purpose is to draw the clean air out of the chamber and to start drawing in smoke from the bowl. If a smaller bong is being used, the first hit should consume most of the smoke. - # When the user feels that they have inhaled a satisfactory amount of smoke, he or she can pull the bowl out of the bong to introduce "clean" air. This is known as "clearing" or "pulling the slide." Other bongs have a small hole, known as a "carb", "shottie" (in Australia), "rush" (in New England), or "choke", above the water level, to be blocked with the user's thumb until he/she draws enough smoke to fill the chamber. - # Once the chamber has been filled with smoke, the slide bowl is removed (or carb unblocked) and the smoker inhales sharply, drawing the smoke into their lungs.
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