Want to smoke some weed? You’ve got a lot of options. Roll a joint, puff out of a piece, pass a blunt…or smoke a bong.
The bong is the pinnacle of smoking weed. Whether you’re smoking from a traditional bong, a gravity bong, or a five-foot long bong that looks right out of an episode of Jackass, smoking a bong can get you high fast. There is a lot of smoke in one bong rip.
For people who are new to bongs, however, the switch can be a little intimidating. There are more moving pieces to a bong – with a joint or a blunt, you just have to roll your cannabis up and start puffing. Don’t worry. We’ll take you through everything you need to know to smoke a bong. Here are the eight steps of smoking a bong. (Yes, eight steps is a lot, but don’t be intimidated – it’s not that complicated!)
One: Buy a Bong
For the purposes of this blog post, we’re going to talk about the traditional water bong. Water bongs have been around for a long time and have evolved into many shapes and sizes. The hit that you get from a water bong is also much smoother because the smoke is filtered by the water in the bong.
Does this sound intriguing? First, you have to buy a bong. Go to your local flea market, gas station, or buy one online. Find a bong with a pattern or a shape that you like. If you haven’t smoked from a bong before, start small. Those big, thick bongs are more likely to leave you in a coughing fit.
Whether you buy a bong or borrow it from a friend – make sure it’s clean. A quick refresh of water and a scrub will do wonders for the quality of the smoke you’re inhaling.
Two: Add Water and Weed
Grab some water (and ice if you want a fancy, chilly hit) and add it to your bong. Pour it in through the mouthpiece, or top, of the bong. You shouldn’t fill it up all the way – just add enough so that the stem is submerged by just an inch. (The stem is the part of the bong with a little bowl on top. It sits at the bottom of your bong.)
Next, get your cannabis ready. Grab a nugget or two and add them into your grinder. (Alternative methods like using scissors can also prepare your bud, too.) Pack the bud into the bowl area of your stem. Don’t pack it too tightly, and don’t pack the entire bowl unless you’re passing the bong around to a few friends. If you do want to pack the entire bowl, don’t let it overflow – you’re just going to end up with a mess later on.
Three: Get In Position
Once you’re ready to smoke, head to the couch. (Or a chair, or the floor, or wherever you want to inhale.) Lighting the bong can be a little tricky at first, so start out by sitting down.
Hold the bong in your non-dominant hand with the stem facing outward. Grab your lighter and put your mouth on the mouthpiece. (The bong should be slightly tipped toward you, but not enough that the water is pouring out.) You’re almost there!
Four: Light Your Cannabis
If you’ve lit a ,piece before, you probably know how this goes. Flick on your lighter and hold it just above your cannabis. You want the cannabis on the top of the bowl to be lit up, but not the entire bowl. (This will allow you to keep hitting the bong for longer without having to re-pack the bowl.)
Five: Inhale (But Just a Little Bit!)
This is where things differ from smoking a piece. Once the cannabis is lit, take an inhale. You are not inhaling into your mouth or lungs at this point. Just inhale to the point where the long chamber fills up. (If you’ve never taken a hit from a bong before, fill it up halfway. This is a lot more smoke than you might be used to.)
Six: Inhale (The Rest!)
Put down your lighter, but keep your mouth on the mouthpiece. Use your free hand to take the stem out of its holder and inhale the smoke into your lungs. Don’t worry if there is a lot of smoke – you can put the stem back in its holder, take your mouth off the mouthpiece, and cover it with your hand. Once you’ve exhaled your smoke, you can go back and take another hit when you’re ready. But don’t waste the good smoke!
Seven: Exhale
Once the smoke is in your lungs, hold it in for only two or three seconds after you let it out. Don’t hold it in for too long – it’s not going to make your “high” any better and may even cause worse health issues down the line.
Exhale. There is no trick to exhaling cannabis, but do be polite. If you’re smoking with a bunch of people, blow it away from anyone’s faces. If you’re smoking at a friend’s house, ask them where you’d like them to blow the smoke first. Blowing out of a window may be the best option to avoid a lingering smell of cannabis where it isn’t wanted.
Eight: Clean Your Bong!
Once you’re done smoking your bong, clean it! Take out the weed, the water, and give the bong a quick scrub. This isn’t mandatory, but putting your lips on a bong and leaving still water around the house isn’t super sanitary, especially if people are eating, drinking, and smoking your bong together. Plus, you’ll feel a lot better smoking a fresh, clean bong the next time you pick it up!
And that’s what you need to know about smoking a bong! It may feel intimidating at first, but after a few hits, you’ll get the hang of it. (Just don’t take too many hits at once!)