Information AboutBong |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT BONG | |
| drug paraphernalia | |
| cannabis smoking | |
|
A bong, also commonly known as a '''water pipe''', is a '', which is also called "water Pipe ". ETYMOLOGY The word ''bong'' is an adaptation of Thai ''baung'' (), Thai dictionary entry for ''baawng'' 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 ''.The text read: ''Many thanks to Scott Bennett..for the beautiful special bong he made for my pipe collection.'' Text cited in bong, n.3 ''The Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed.'' 1989. ''OED'' Online. Oxford University Press. 20 April 2006 http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50024920 USING A BONG Smoking using a bong contrasts with smoking using a Pipe or Cigarette in two major ways. Bongs cool the smoke before it enters the user’s Lungs and a large amount of smoke is inhaled quickly as opposed to the smaller, more frequent, inhalations of pipe and cigarette smoking. # The base is filled with water to the depth dictated by the bong. This water is typically Tap Water . 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 Pepsi and 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 ignition, however some health hazards of this method are inhaling toxic flint smoke and some of the lighter fluid. Less frequently Matches are used, but they may produce an unpleasant taste. Some smokers prefer to use a natural incense stick and a candle. It is also possible to use a low temperature soldering tool to light the substance to be smoked, as well as a magnifying glass (known as solar blazing/toking/smoking) in order to heat the substance to the exact temperature at which it burns, thus avoiding any over-heating and therefore, theoretically, loss of substance. # The user places his/her lips on the mouth piece, forming a seal, and inhales. An inhalation is known as a "hit" or "rip." If the smoker is using a larger bong, the first hit contains no smoke; this type of hit is known as a "dry hit." 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 all the potential smoke. # When the user feels that they have inhaled a satisfactory amount of smoke, he/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. PHYSICAL PRINCIPLES As the user Inhales , the smoke initially 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 water has three roles: 1) It acts as a coolant, 2) It humidifies the smoke, mitigating the drying effect smoking has on lung tissue, and 3) it acts as a filter, by letting carcinogens that would normally bond to the water present in lung tissue, bond to the bong water instead, thus cleaning the smoke. After a few uses the water turns into an unpleasant bitter smelling solution having absorbed water soluble chemicals and large particulates from the smoke. Once the smoke has risen through the water, it is trapped in the air gap above the water. The empty space of the container fills up with cool filtered smoke. At the side of the container above the water level, there is a small hole which is kept covered up with a finger until the point when sufficient smoke has been held in the air gap. This hole is sometimes known as a shotgun hole, clutch, or carburetor, more commonly "carb". 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 the shotgun hole also further helps to cool the smoke as it is inhaled. 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. MOTIVATIONS FOR USE The motivations for use include:
Efficiency of dosage By making the smoke cooler and more palatable it allows the dose of active chemical to be inhaled more deeply and rapidly. This makes absorption of the active chemical more efficient and so less of the original substance is required. The maximum amount of smoke that can be inhaled in a single hit depends on the bong's chamber capacity, and the smoker's lung capacity. Normally, this amount of smoke is far greater than can be achieved when smoking a Pipe , Cigarette , or Cigar . Thus, a bong gives a stronger hit than other smoking methods. Health benefits / research Bongs bubble the smoke through water, which cools it down. This helps to reduce the chance of burning to the mouth, airways, and lungs. The water can trap some heavier particles and the more water-soluble molecules, preventing them from entering the smoker's Lung s. Most smokers believe that bongs are healthier than other smoking methods; however, a was drawn through a number of smoking devices and analyzed. A smoking machine, adjusted to mimic the puff length of cannabis smokers, drew smoke through a standard bong, a small portable bong with a folding stem, a bong with a motorized paddle that thoroughly mixes the smoke with the water, and two different types of Vaporizer s. The study found that the unfiltered joint outperformed all devices except the vaporizers, with a ratio of about 1 part Cannabinoid s to 13 parts tar. However, and Tobacco Smoke . It found that when Alveolar macrophages, an important component in the lungs' immune system, were exposed to unfiltered smoke, there was a marked reduction in the macrophages' ability to fight bacteria, whereas there was no such reduction in those exposed to water-filtered smoke. It also found that there is substantial epidemiological evidence among tobacco smokers that those who smoke through water-pipes, as opposed to Cigarettes , Cigars , and regular Pipes , have lower incidences of Carcinoma . "It appears that water filtration can be effective in removing components from cannabis smoke that are known toxicants... The effectiveness of toxicant removal is related to the smoke's water contact area. Specially designed water pipes, incorporating particulate filters and gas dispersion frits, would likely be most effective in this regard; the gas dispersion frit serves to break up the smoke into very fine bubbles, thereby increasing its water contact area." Nicholas V. Cozzi, Ph.D. Effects of water filtration on marijuana smoke: a literature review This study suggests that a bong's smoke is less harmful than unfiltered smoke. Bong water Bong water is used to filter and cool the smoke. The most popular choice among smokers is cold water (it makes the smoke less harsh) and for a more substantial cooling effect, ice cubes can be used. When bong water is not properly maintained, the water can take on many undesirable characteristics. These effects can include simple discoloration in the form of a green then brown and eventually black tint. Some waters, such as municipal tap, contain Minerals that can promote residue buildup, making distilled water preferable. In addition, as a bong is smoked, ash is sucked through the stem where it rests in the bong water. Standing water and ash can produce Lye . Additives, such as flavored drinks and alcoholic beverages, are common in place of water; however, certain chemicals bond easily to alcohol and could reduce the effect of the substances contained within certain strains of tobacco and cannabis. Additionally, there is a minute risk of fire when using flammable substances in place of water. MATERIALS smoking.]] Bongs can vary greatly in their shape, material, style, color, and size. Commonly constructed from Metal , Acrylic , Ceramic , or Glass , bongs can also be fabricated from materials as diverse as Pykrete or even from household objects such as empty water bottles. Some people even make bongs out of fruits and vegetables that are discarded after use. Many bong owners take pride in giving original names to their smoking devices. These names usually reflect Cannabis Culture or some particular distinction of the bong. Since the bong is such a simple device, it can be constructed out of nearly anything that is at least semi-rigid and can be made airtight. This includes, but is not limited to, Bamboo , plastic bottles, soda-pop cans, buckets, vases, beer bottles, hollow plastic and ceramic statues, chemistry Beaker s, Snorkel s, even apples and potatoes. However, care should be taken, as burning plastics results in the production of dangerous Toxins . Most bongs purchased will be made out of glass (either hand-blown or cast in molds) or clear acrylic tubing. Most of these bongs will include or otherwise utilize glass stems and bowls. However, cheaper bongs (nearly all made out of acrylic) may be designed with metal stems and bowls. A common home-built bong is made from a bowl and stem purchased either from a Head Shop or a hardware store, or fabricated from supplies around the house. (A bong can be assembled out of tinfoil and a short length of garden hose, for instance.) The rest of the design needs nothing more than a Knife or Scissors , a 20 oz to 1 liter empty plastic bottle, and some Duct Tape . The bong can also be made using the burning tip of a cigarette, to make the holes in an easier way. Just because a bong can be constructed this way does not indicate it is a good idea. To avoid dangerous fumes and chemicals, all bowls and stems should be made of glass or metal, and the chambers of the bongs of Glass , Metal , or acrylic. This type of bong is often referred to as a MacGyver , after the TV show, due to its improvised and home-made nature. Materials such as PVC , plastic, rubber, or garden hoses may emit Toxic chemicals when heated. Plastic can release fumes which may induce Asthma . Little has been documented on the inhalation of these fumes but the practice should be avoided. Duct Tape may also release fumes. Carburetor Some bongs have a small hole, called a carburetor or carb, choke, clutch, shotty, shotgun-hole, rush-hole, air-hole or even just finger-hole, in the chamber across from the stem. This is simply a valve that the user places his/her finger over when inhaling, allowing the chamber to fill up with smoke. If the user releases the carburetor, then he/she is no longer having to pull the smoke through the downpipe and water so it is easier or more relaxing to smoke. Some bong users allow fresh air to rush rapidly in through the hole. The fresh air mixes with the smoke and forces the smoke into the user's lungs more rapidly than could be achieved through normal inhalation. Inhaling a lung full of smoke is known as a hit. Often, bongs are smoked in two hits; first a "lit hit" when smoke is allowed to fill the chamber, then, after a short break, the "chamber hit" or the "clear," when the user inhales smoke. Carburetor hole bongs use a hole to release the vacuum which allows air into the chamber. This has the effect of clearing the chamber of the smoke which is inhaled into the lungs. This method prevents the need to fill the chamber with carbon dioxide to clear the smoke before it becomes stale. They are easy to construct and often used in home-made bongs. Slide Slide bongs have two piece stems. One piece is attached to the bong itself. The other piece of the slide is attached to the bowl, and slides into the first piece using a smaller diameter than the first piece. To use, the user pulls out the second piece by the bowl. Ice bong One of the most common varieties is the ice bong, which is a sub variety of a slide or carburetor bong. These are typically made of glass or acrylic, like the one to the left. Ice is placed in a twist or ice trap in the neck. This has the effect of cooling the smoke when the user comes to inhaling. These bongs are typically bright colors and are popular due to the durability, ease of use, and controllability. They usually have Carburetor holes on the opposite side to the bowl or slightly to the left or right of that position. These tend to have larger chambers than other bong varieties, as ice is used rarely in smaller bongs. Bubbler A bubbler is a small bong where the stem is internal and the bowl is at the very top. A majority of the bong is enclosed with only a hole in the side to act as the carburetor and the hole the smoke will exit on its way to the user. These operate very much like a pipe since their internal chamber is so small but they have identical parts to a common bong. They are considered more pleasant to smoke out of than a regular pipe because the smoke is cooled through the water and filtered. They also do not produce the characteristic "chugging" sound of bongs when the smoke is inhaled, which makes them quieter and more desirable for those who need to conceal their use. These bongs also produce immense hits and less marijuana is required. Vaporizer-bong A vaporizer-bong, or "vapor-bong," is the use of a box type Vaporizer or heat gun and a bong connected via a special glass attachment. The vapor goes through the attachment, filters through the water, and may pass through a layer of ice, creating an ice-cold, vaporized hit of herbal material. Shottie A shottie, also called a pull-through, shotty or popper, is made out of a plastic bottle and is similar to a bong, but replaces the bowl and stem with a tube, which may be used alone or with the aid of "bullets". In this context, bullet refers to a small tubular piece of metal of slightly smaller diameter than the shottie tube, with a ring of metal of the same diameter as the shottie tube affixed to prevent the bullet becoming lodged in the shottie tube. First, a small piece of tobacco is placed into the end of the tube or bullet. This can be achieved either by inserting a cigarette and cutting it so a thin slice remains in the tube, or by making a small disc of tobacco to fit the tube. The tube or bullet is then stamped into a patch of fine tobacco. The shottie is then smoked by gently pulling so that the tobacco is lit, then filling the chamber slowly- this is sometimes referred to as "brewing" the shottie, and then inhaling violently to pull the ash and unburnt tobacco into the water. Shotties are particularly popular in the UK. Gravity bong See Also: Gravity bong A Gravity Bong (also known as hydros, buckets, g-bongs, GBs,) does not necessarily filter the smoke through water but instead uses water to generate a slow and constant vacuum in the chamber. This offers the same benefit of delivering a concentrated charge of smoke to the user but is much more effective at making the smoke denser, thereby causing more chemicals to be absorbed. Waterfall bong See Also: Gravity bong This technique uses a more elaborate setup to reduce the complexity of use. Rather than to lift the bottle, the water is drained in order to produce the vacuum. Also known as a "pisser" the gravity is made by cutting a hole in the bottom of the bottle instead of cutting it off completely. The bottle is then filled and drained into a sink or bucket while the bowl is lit. Such a device is rare, as gravity bongs are characterized by party situations, poor users or users focused on efficiency (such as in conserving the end of a stash). IN POP CULTURE
REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS |
|
|