The legalization of marijuana has broken down the stigma people used to have about using marijuana. More than ever before, beginners and advanced users alike are interacting with the plant in all sorts of ways.
While every marijuana user has their preferred way of consumption, that method happens to be a bong for many.
Bongs, or water pipes, are great smoking devices equipped with water chambers that help to cool and filter marijuana smoke, making for a smoother and more comfortable smoking experience.
If you’ve been using dry pipes or rolling paper and you want to broaden your options, here’s a detailed 5-step guide on how you can use a water bong.
1. Clean Your Bong
The first step is to make sure your bong is clean. If you’ve bought a new one from the store, a good rinse should be enough to do the job. But if your bong has been used before, you might want to give it a good clean. Remove any herb or ash residue from the bowl, and make sure to clean the mouthpiece.
2. Understand How Bongs Work
The second thing you need to do is to know how to prepare your bong. Place it in an upright position and try to familiarize yourself with the different parts of your bong, such as the bowl, mouthpiece, water chamber, and downstem.
A water bong can be a bit complicated, so mastering the setup in advance will come in handy the more you get to use it.
3. Prepare Your Weed
Once you have a good idea of how the bong operates, it’s time to grind your weed. Separate the leaf material from the sticks, stems, and seeds. You can use your fingers to break down your herb, but a grinder can do a much faster and more effective job.
But don’t overdo it such that it becomes powdery. Evenly ground weed will make for smooth rips since there won’t be any restrictions on the airflow.
4. Pack Your Bowl with Weed
Once the weed is perfectly ground, it’s time to fill up your bow. Some stoners tend to pinch off nuggets and jam inside the bowl. While this approach works, it doesn’t provide high-quality, even hits. What you want to do is tap your evenly ground herb gently into the bowl.
Don’t press it too tightly such that it blocks airflow. You also don’t want it too loose that it falls out.
5. Light Up and Inhale
This is, without a doubt, the most exciting part of the process. Grab your lighter, spark a flame, and place it against your nicely packed bowl to ignite the marijuana.
Next, put your lips on the mouthpiece and inhale deeply but slowly as the chamber fills with smoke. Ration your rips so that you’re left with enough air for a big pull at the end. Many beginners tend to use their entire breath on ripping and are left with zero lung capacity to take their hit.
Practice Makes Perfect
Did you know that bongs have been in use for thousands of years? That’s right. The oldest bong is believed to be about 2,400 years old and is made of solid gold. Today, bongs come in various designs and materials ranging from ceramic, glass, plastic, and even bamboo.
But despite their long history, not every smoker is familiar with bongs or how to use them. Hopefully, the pointers highlighted in this article should have you taking bong rips like a pro in no time.
