A bong is a smoking device whose origins lie somewhere in or around Vietnam. A standard bong generally consists of a glass tube with the stem, and a removable bowl (though there are pieces with carburators and fixed bowls). The body is filled with
water until the stem is submerged about one inch (less for smaller bongs), the bowl is inserted into the stem (with smoking material), and the smoking material is introduced to an open flame as the user lowers the air pressure in the chamber by sucking, causing smoke to be drawn through the
water and filtered (a precooler may be inserted in the stem for better filtration). The user then, while sucking, removes the bowl and sucks, causing the smoke to be forced into the lungs.
Bongs offer health benefits as bong
water tends to remove a number of carcinogens, lowering the smoker'
s chances of contracting illnesses such as lung cancer. For
marijuana users, the bong offers a better
high than most other methods (except for oral administration), as the smoke is less harsh, and quite cool (even more so when mixed with
ice), enabling the inhalation of more smoke.
With
marijuana use, bong
water can be saved, and after being stored for a period of time, a slimy resin can be collected from the bottom of the container and smoked. However, drinking of bong
water is not advised, as it contains negligible amounts of THC and higher levels of carcinogenic material
