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
