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			{{Short description\|Device used for smoking tobacco, cannabis, or other herbs}}
	]
			{{About\|a pipe that is used for smoking cannabis and other substances\|the preparation of cannabis leaves and flowers\|Bhang\|other uses\|Bong (disambiguation)}}
	A '''bong''' or '''water pipe''' is a device that is usually used for smoking herbs, typically ] , ], ], and much less frequently other substances such as ]. Because many countries have laws against owning ] a bong being sold openly, such as at a ], is likely advertised as ''for tobacco use only'' but this can vary according to location. During operation the user inhales through the device which causes ] to fill a chamber; this smoke is usually first bubbled through water. The bong enables the operator to smoke in a manner very different to what is possible with a simple ] or joint (]). Most bongs are designed to either cool the smoke before it enters the operator's lungs, build up a large buffer of smoke which the user inhales quickly, or both. The word bong derives from the Thai word ''baung'' (บ้อง) which refers to a cut off section of bamboo.
			{{pp\|reason=Persistent ]\|small=yes}}

			]
	Bongs also vary greatly in their shape, materials, colors, and sizes. Commonly constructed from ], ], or ], bongs can also be fabricated from materials as diverse as ] or even from household objects. Some people make bongs out of fruits and vegetables, discarding them once they start to decompose. Many bongs are regarded for their style, distinct vivid colors, or customizations such as stickers, and become a personalized signature of that particular bong owner.
			A '''bong''' (also known as a '''water pipe''') is a filtration device generally used for smoking ], ], or other herbal substances.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://ul451.gsu.edu/lawand/papers/fa05/albright_shawkat_susor/\|title=Contraband: The Sale of Regulated Goods on the Internet\|access-date=2010-03-24\|archive-date=2016-04-12\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412074521/http://ul451.gsu.edu/lawand/papers/fa05/albright_shawkat_susor/\|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the bong shown in the photo, the smoke flows from the lower port on the left to the upper port on the right.

			In construction and function, a bong is similar to a ], except smaller and especially more portable. A bong may be constructed from any air- and water-tight vessel by adding a bowl and stem apparatus (or slide)<ref>{{Cite news\|last=Delaney\|first=Arthur\|date=2008-05-09\|title=How To Make a Skull Bong\|language=en-US\|work=Slate\|url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2008/05/can-a-human-skull-be-used-as-a-bong.html\|access-date=2023-02-14\|issn=1091-2339\|archive-date=2023-02-14\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214093818/https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2008/05/can-a-human-skull-be-used-as-a-bong.html\|url-status=live}}</ref> which guides air downward to below water level whence it bubbles upward ("bubbler") during use. To get fresh air into the bong and harvest the last remaining smoke, a hole known as the "carburetor", "carb", "choke", "bink", "rush", "shotty", "kick hole", or simply "hole", somewhere on the lower part of the bong above water level, is first kept covered during the smoking process, then opened to allow the smoke to be drawn into the respiratory system. On bongs without such a hole, the bowl and/or the stem are removed to allow air from the hole that holds the stem.
	==Operation==
	===Principles===
	] below.]]
	When using a bong, one inhales with his or her mouth sealed over an opening at the top. This reduces the ] in the chamber of the bong above the water level in the bottom of the bong. To equalize the pressure, the ] pushes air through the combustible matter releasing smoke in the bowl travelling down the stem. The smoke then bubbles through the water, into the chamber and into the users' mouth and lungs. This bubbling action leads to a characteristic noise. For example, if you 'bubble' a glass of milk with a drinking straw, by placing the straw beneath the surface of the milk and blowing, you are demonstrating the same ], except that you are assuming the role of the atmosphere and not the bong user.

			Bongs have been in use by the ] in ] and ], as well all over Africa, for centuries.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.420magazine.com/community/threads/the-real-history-of-the-bong.73197/\|title=The real history of the bong\|website=420 Magazine\|date=5 February 2008 \|access-date=2023-02-16\|archive-date=2023-02-16\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230216051309/https://www.420magazine.com/community/threads/the-real-history-of-the-bong.73197/\|url-status=live}}</ref> One of the earliest recorded uses of the word in the West is in the McFarland Thai-English Dictionary, published in 1944, which describes one of the meanings of ''bong'' in the Thai language as, "a bamboo waterpipe for smoking kancha, tree, hashish, or the hemp-plant". A January 1971 issue of the ''Marijuana Review'' also used the term.
	Some bongs have a ''carburetor'' or ''carb'', also called a ''shotty'' (from shotgun); ''choke''; or ''rush (hole)''; a small hole or bleed valve that the user places his finger over when first inhaling allowing the chamber to fill up with smoke. When the user releases the carb while still inhaling, fresh air is allowed to rush in through the hole, "clearing" it of smoke. The fresh air forces the smoke into the users lungs more rapidly than just breathing will do. In other bongs, the bowl-piece is removable. This piece is then called a 'slide' or 'pull', and is similar to the carb in function. When the slide is removed, fresh air instead of smoke bubbles through, and acts to clear the chamber. An audio recording of a bong with a slide style carb being used ] (see ]).

	==~~=Motivations=~~==		==Etymology==
			The word ''bong'' is an adaptation of the ] word ''bong'' or ''baung'' ({{langx\|th\|บ้อง}}, {{IPA\|th\|bɔ̂ŋ\|}}), which refers to a cylindrical ]en tube, ], or ] cut from ], and which also refers to the bong used for smoking.
	The characteristics of the bong enable the material to be smoked in ways not possible with a simple ] or ]. Because the chamber on most bongs can be up to 6 inches (15 cm) in ] the speed of the air moving through the chamber is reduced and the chamber now acts as a large buffer of smoke. Depending on the length of the bong a considerable amount of smoke can be built up in this way. On the larger bongs, about 4 ft (1.2 m) tall, the operator must stop drawing on the bong when the smoke reaches their lips. At this point the operator must exhale deeply, open the carb, and use the entire contents of their lungs to clear the chamber of the charge of smoke. This high concentration of smoke in the lungs enables the operator to transfer much higher quantities of the chemicals in the smoke into their lungs but also tends to waste large amounts of the smoke. The longer the operator can hold the hit in, the more chemicals he will extract from it, but this becomes more difficult as the smoke gets more dense and the volume increases. Individuals in the Cannabis culture who can hold in a ''monster hit'' are typically held in high regard.

			==History==
	]
			Excavations of a ] in Russia in 2013 revealed that ] tribal chiefs used gold vessels 2400 years ago to smoke cannabis and opium. The kurgan was discovered when construction workers were clearing land for the construction of a power line.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/150522-scythians-marijuana-bastard-wars-kurgan-archaeology\|title=Gold Artifacts Tell Tale of Drug-Fueled Rituals and "Bastard Wars"\|last=National Geographic\|website=]\|date=22 May 2015\|access-date=2022-05-10\|language=en-US\|archive-date=2022-05-10\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510210649/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/150522-scythians-marijuana-bastard-wars-kurgan-archaeology\|url-status=dead}}</ref>
	Bubbling the smoke through water also serves to cool down the smoke, which is typically very hot, and to trap some of the heavier and more water-soluble particulate matter, keeping it from entering the smoker's ]s. Most smokers believe that bongs are healthier than other smoking devices; however, a ] ]-] study found that "waterpipes filter out more psychoactive THC than they do other tars, thereby requiring users to smoke more to reach their desired effect" . The analysis used smoke from ]-supplied marijuana drawn through a smoking machine adjusted to mimic the puff length of marijuana smokers. The apparatus, comparing smoke from a standard bong, a small portable device with a folding pipestem, a battery-operated model with a motorized paddle to thoroughly mix the smoke in the water, and two different types of ]s, found that the unfiltered joint outperformed all devices except the vaporizers, with a ratio of about 1 part ]s to 13 parts tar.

			During the reign of ], physician Hakim Abul Fath invented the waterpipe in ], and discovered tobacco. Abul suggested that tobacco "smoke should be first passed through a small receptacle of water so that it would be rendered harmless".<ref>{{Cite web\|title=Waterpipe Overview – WHO FCTC Secretariat's Knowledge Hub on waterpipes\|url=https://untobaccocontrol.org/kh/waterpipes/waterpipe-overview/\|access-date=2022-01-15\|language=en-US\|archive-date=2022-01-15\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220115112743/https://untobaccocontrol.org/kh/waterpipes/waterpipe-overview/\|url-status=usurped}}</ref> Other sources also show evidence of the invention of the waterpipe in ] during the late ] (16th century), along with tobacco, through Persia and the ].{{Citation needed\|date=January 2022}} By the ], it became the most popular method to smoke tobacco, but became less popular since the Republic era. While typically employed by commoners, the water pipe is known to have been preferred by ] over snuff bottles or other methods of intake. According to the ], she was buried with at least three water pipes; some of her collections can be seen in the ].

			The water pipe employed since the Qing dynasty can be divided into two types: the homemade bamboo bong commonly made and used by country people, and a more elegant metal version employed by Chinese merchants, urbanites, and nobility. Metal utensils are typically made out of bronze or brass, the nobility version of silver and decorated with jewels. Typically, the metal version is made out of the following components:
	===Bong water===
			*The water pipe itself, a single-piece construct consisting of the bowl-stem, the water container, and a drawtube at least 3 inches, but some can be up to 12 inches in length. Some are straight with a "Joint" (Sandblasted top part of stem, usually about 1 inch long, and all the way around, tapered or cone shaped, so the tapered, or "cone shaped" bowl will fit in)some are bent to resemble a ]. The size of the bowl is similar to that of a ], typically the width of a thumbnail or smaller.
	Used bong water is a notoriously disgusting fluid. In many movies and even in company of others stories are told of bong water's ability to stain anything and make it smell awful. Bong water ranges from clear when it is fresh, to a slightly used green, yellow or brown tint, which will get worse as the water is used more. A practice of some bong users is to turn the bowl around backwards and suck the remaining ash and unburned material down the stem into the water when the bowl is empty. While this is convenient it rapidly degrades the quality of the bong water. If this is done bong water can go from dark green or grey, to black, and will usually have chunks of dark unburned material floating around. As the quality of the water degrades so does the taste of the smoke. Over a long enough time the bong will develop a distinct unpleasant odor and the smoke drawn through it will acquire that taste as well. Bong water is extremely unpleasant to ingest. Drinking bong water will produce minimal psychoactive effect, since THC and other cannabinoids are minimally soluble in water. It is possible to use alcohol-based liquids as bong water. Even though THC and other cannabinoids are alcohol-soluble, such a small area of the smoke (i.e. the surface of the bubbles)comes into contact with the bong water that it is negligible. This includes using mouthwash, liquor, beer and anything else with alcohol.
			*The tobacco container with a lid.
			*A pipe rack small enough to be held by one hand, and consisting of two large holes for the tobacco container and the water pipe. It may have smaller holes to hold various pipe tools.
			During a smoking session, the user may keep all equipment inside the rack and just hold the entire assembly (rack, pipe, and container) in one hand, lighting the bowl with a slow-burning paper wick (纸煤) lit over a coal stove.
			Unlike in North America and the Southern Hemisphere, the water pipe is typically employed by older generations.{{citation needed\|date=January 2022}}

	==~~=Cleaning=~~==		==Use==
			]
	Bongs become quite dirty and stink after use. Depending on what material your bong is made from you may be able to quite easily clean without use of bong cleaning kits. While one shouldn't put a plastic bong in a dishwasher many other techniques, such as simply scrubbing the interior with a brush will get good results. For strong resin stains in the chamber Epsom salts and rubbing alcohol mixed can be used as a soak and should remove buildup without much trouble. A laboratory glassware cleaning brush works wonders for scrubbing out resin and tar on the inside chamber of your bong. Be aware however, any 'soft glass' bong can be scratched by these brushes.
			{{Listen\|filename=Hitting the bong.ogg\|title=Sound of a bong in operation}}
	A little vegetable oil in the water can prevent the tar from sticking to the surface of the bong, making it easier to clean.
			The water can trap some heavier particles and water-soluble molecules, preventing them from entering the smoker's airways.<ref>{{cite web\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150323104554/http://premiumbongs.com/bong-information.html \|archive-date=March 23, 2015\|url=http://www.premiumbongs.com/bong-information.html\|title=Marijuana Consumption: Smoking, Eating, And Drinking Marijuana\|access-date=March 10, 2016}}</ref> The mechanics of a bong are compared to those of a laboratory ] bottle. The user puts their mouth at the top and places the cannabis in the tube, as shown in the picture.

			Bongs are often either ] or ] that use a bowl, stem, and water to produce smoke. Most glass bongs are made from heat resistant ], allowing the bong to withstand repeated use and heat exposure without breaking. After the bowl has been packed and water has been inserted into the bong, the substance is lit and the smoke is drawn through water to produce a smoother smoke than other methods of smoking do.<ref>{{cite book\|last=Keliher\|first=Evan\| title=Grandpa's Marijuana Handbook\|year=2003\|publisher=Aventine Press\|location=]\|isbn=978-1-59330-135-4\|edition=2nd\|page=37}}</ref> To smoke a bong, the smoker must inhale in the bong so bubbles containing smoke begin to come from the stem. Once the bong has a fair amount of smoke built up, either the carb is uncovered or the stem is separated from the bong, allowing the remaining smoke to be inhaled.
	==Description==
	]
	A typical bong is made of few components, as noted on the picture:

			]
	# A '''mouthpiece''', where the user's mouth is placed over, sealing out air through that hole. Thus the bong is airtight (providing there is also an airtight seal around the stem. If a "carb" is present, it must also be covered). When "airtight" it has but one small source of air, which comes into effect when the user inhales through the mouth piece. If all the smoke isn't removed from the bong in a single hit, the user can place their mouth again over the bong to again inhale, or hover their mouth closely over the bong to slowly inhale the smoke.
	# A '''chamber''', where smoke collects. When enough smoke has accumulated it is finally inhaled. This is accelerated by using a "carb" or by removing the bowl, which allows air to enter the chamber when inhalation takes place. The height and width of the chamber can vary, this changes the volume.
	# A '''base''', which holds the water, is usually wider than the chamber so it can stand-alone without tipping (see the ] of a spillage.) The bottom of the "stem" sits in the water, on an angle. The opening at the bottom of the stem must be underwater to bubble the water. The water temperature will affect the temperature of the smoke inhaled (e.g. a bong with water and crushed ice as a filter will allow the user to inhale cooler smoke, providing a less harsh experience). Some bongs also have a removable, water-tight base, for easy changing of the bong water.
	# A '''stem''' (a.k.a. female piece) sits in the base and pokes out of the chamber at a degree higher than the water level. It holds the conepiece/bowl and enables smoke to pass through the water when in use. The stem collects "resin" over time which can clog the stem, and reduce the air flow through the water.
	# A '''bowl''' (sometimes called a conepiece or a male piece) is usually a removable cup or cone shaped container, where the cannabis is packed and ignited. In rare occasions the bowl is not removable. Made of metal, glass, or ceramic, a bowl can be joined to the stem, or can just sit in the stem. The bowl forms a seal around the stem so that the only inlet of air is through the bowl. Over time burnt residue will collect on parts of the bowl.

			However, a 2000 ]-] cannabis study found that "water pipes filter out more psychoactive ] than they do other tars, thereby requiring users to smoke more to reach their desired effect".<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://maps.org/news-letters/v06n3/06359mj1.html\|title=MAPS - Volume 6 Number 3 Summer 1996 -\|website=maps.org\|access-date=2023-01-27\|archive-date=2023-01-27\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127022847/https://maps.org/news-letters/v06n3/06359mj1.html\|url-status=live}}</ref> In the study, smoke from cannabis supplied by the ] was drawn through a number of smoking devices and analyzed. This study looked at the tar to cannabinoid ratio in the gas in output by various bongs, as well as unfiltered and filtered joints, and vaporizers. The results showed that only vaporizers produced a better tar to cannabinoid ratio than unfiltered joints, but that within the cannabinoids produced, even vaporizers warped the ratio of THC (the psychoactive component of the smoke) to ] (capable of producing medical benefits but is not psychoactive) in favor of CBN. This showed an unfiltered joint had the best tar to THC ratio of all, and bongs were actually seriously detrimental in this respect.
	===Additional parts===
	* A '''carb''' allows for an accelerated removal of smoke from the chamber. It is often a simple hole in the wall of the chamber (covered by a finger or removable seal). When smoke is inhaled through the mouthpiece and the carb is uncovered, air enters through the carb and pushes the present smoke out through the mouthpiece. This extra hole is not usually present in a bong with a removable bowl, as removing the bowl also allows more air to flow in to displace the smoke, eliminating the need for a carb.
	* One or more additional chambers can be attached to a bong to multiply the filtration, for a smoother intake of smoke. Such an apparatus may be referred to as a '''double bubbler'''. The additional chambers can either be external to the bong and plug into it as a normal bowl would or they may be internal to the bong where the chambers are stacked on top of each other.
	* A '''diffuser''' is a down pipe/tube or down stem that has a capped end with small holes in it. This makes the smoke bubbles coming out of the downpipe and into the water smaller, and as a result, the filtration is more effective.
	* An '''ice catcher''', usually present as an indentation in the chamber, serves to hold ice in the chamber of the bong. This ice will further cool the smoke which some users find to be more pleasurable.

			MAPS<ref name="ukcia.org">{{cite web \|last1=Cozzi \|first1=Nicholas V. \|title=Effects of water filtration on marijuana smoke: a literature review \|url=https://www.ukcia.org/research/EffectsOfWaterFiltrationOnMarijuanaSmoke.php \|website=UKCIA \|access-date=2020-08-16 \|archive-date=2020-11-09 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109030714/http://www.ukcia.org/research/EffectsOfWaterFiltrationOnMarijuanaSmoke.php \|url-status=live }}</ref> also reviewed a study that examined the effects and composition of water-filtered and non-filtered ] and ]. It found that when ] ]s were exposed to unfiltered smoke, their ability to fight bacteria was reduced, unlike exposure to water-filtered smoke. It also found substantial epidemiological evidence of a lower incidence of ] among tobacco smokers who used water-pipes, as opposed to ]s, ]s, and regular ]. "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."
	==Materials==
	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 ], plastic bottles, soda-pop cans, buckets, vases, beer bottles, hollow plastic and ceramic statues, chemistry ]s, snorkels, and many other common items. A clever ] can be constructed out of fruit such as ]s and ]es. The simplicity of bong construction has led people to consider constructing bongs with materials as outlandish as ]. 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.

			Specially designed water pipes, incorporating particulate filters and gas-dispersion ], 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.<ref name="ukcia.org"/> These frits are commonly referred to as ] for the way that they diffuse (or disperse) the smoke as it exits the downstem, and usually consist of small holes or slats at the end of the downstem. This study suggests that a bong's smoke is less harmful than unfiltered smoke.
	A common home-built bong is made from a bowl and stem purchased either from a ] or fabricated from supplies around the house or from a hardware store; this could be out of tinfoil and a short length of garden hose for instance. The rest of the design needs nothing more than a ] or ], a 20 oz to 1 liter empty plastic bottle, and some ]. 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.

			===Adverse health effects===
	Using materials such as ], plastic, rubber or garden hoses will emit ] chemicals when heated. ] releases toxic chemicals while heated, and its use should be avoided as high aluminum levels have been found in the brains of some patients with ]s. ] can release fumes which may induce ]. Little has been documented on the inhalation of these fumes but the practice should be avoided. Soda cans are widely used, but release aluminum fumes along with paint fumes when heated, which have been shown to cause ]. While ] may release rubber, metal and aluminum fumes, ] are toxin free.
			{{see also\|Vaping-associated pulmonary injury#Possible causes}}

			Bongs that are cleaned regularly eliminates yeast, fungi, bacteria and pathogens that can cause several symptoms that vary from allergy to lung infection.<ref>{{Citation \|date=16 July 2018 \|title=The Dangers of a Dirty Bong \|url=https://www.leafscience.com/2018/07/16/dangers-dirty-bong/ \|website=leafscience.com \|access-date=21 December 2022 \|archive-date=21 May 2022 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521084225/https://www.leafscience.com/2018/07/16/dangers-dirty-bong/ \|url-status=live }}</ref>
	==Variety==
	Offshoots from the simple bong concept do exist. These devices either bubble the smoke through water to cool it or have very large chambers. Some of the devices are designed to allow slower and more controlled draw through the bowl which causes the smoke to be much denser.

	===~~Bubbler~~===		====Plastic bongs====
			It has been reported that it is possible to taste the chemicals in the water from a plastic water bottle left sitting in a hot car because "...chemicals have leached into the contents of the bottle."<ref name="plastic April 2022 High Times" >{{Cite news\|url=https://hightimes.com/health/dangers-smoking-plastic/\|title=The Dangers of Smoking Out of Plastic\|date=2014\|last=Powell\|first=Burgess\|work=High Times\|access-date=15 April 2022\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029215323/https://hightimes.com/health/dangers-smoking-plastic/\|archive-date=29 October 2021}}</ref> It was also reported that it is possible to imagine that this process of chemicals leaching into water occurring with "...a homemade water bottle bong where the bottle is routinely heated up."<ref name="plastic April 2022 High Times" />
	].]]
	A bubbler is a small bong that can be operated with only one hand (aside from having to provide an ignition source). In these devices 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 carb and the hole the smoke will exit on its way to the operator. 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 more pleasant to smoke out of than a regular pipe, because the smoke is cooled through the water.

			It was also reported that "According to ], plastic bottles heated up to 60°C contain unhealthy levels of toxic chemicals."<ref name="plastic April 2022 High Times" />
	===Gravity bong===
	{{main\|gravity bong}}
	The gravity bongs do not necessarily filter the smoke through water but instead use 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 are much more effective at making the smoke denser, thence more chemicals can be absorbed. In fact these devices are known for inducing huge coughing fits in their users and can be very unpleasant to use. Regardless, their use is common, especially at parties, as they are extremely effective and can induce fear in people who have never seen them before. Interestingly two distinct designs can be known as ''gravity bongs'' and some people using that term may only be familiar with one design.

	==~~=Lung=~~==		==Legal issues==
			]
	A lung is similar to a bucket bong, but is slightly modified. The main chamber is still made out of a two litre pop bottle with its bottom cut off, but in this case a standard-sized plastic grocery bag is taped on to to the end. The bowl itself is created by removing one from any screw-on pipe and screwing it into the plastic cap of a 2 litre bottle. This creates a structure similar to a real lung and diaphragm - when the plastic bag is shoved in the bottle, there's no air, and when it's expanded and slowly pulled out of the bottle, air is drawn in through the bowl, located on the cap piece, filling the chamber with smoke. Since this method has no cooling system, it can be a harsh hit which often sends the user into a coughing fit. The lung can be placed in the freezer for a few seconds to cool the smoke, but you sacrifice smoothness, as standing marijuana smoke tends to become progressively foul-tasting the longer it sits. This bong is most useful in getting more stoned in less time, and should not be used by someone merely seeking a relaxing mellow.

			In the ], under the Federal Drug Paraphernalia Statute, which is part of the ], it is illegal to sell, transport through the mail, transport across state lines, import, or export drug paraphernalia.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://headshops.us/dea-definition-of-Paraphemalia.html\|title=DEA Definition of Paraphernalia - gas mask bong, Squeeze bottle filled with GHB...\|website=headshops.us\|access-date=2015-11-30\|archive-date=2015-12-08\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208143746/http://headshops.us/dea-definition-of-Paraphemalia.html\|url-status=live}}</ref>
	===Popper===
	A popper, also called a shotty, is made out of a plastic bottle and is similar to a bong but lacks the bowl. The bottle should be firm and rigid, so as not to buckle from the force of 'shooting' the shotty. A good example is a soft drinks bottle or bottle that used to contain carbonated drinks, as these have to be stronger than water bottles to maintain their shape under pressure. A small hole is burnt in the bottle about one quarter of the way up, and a pipe is pushed into this hole at a downward angle while still warm, ensuring an airtight fit as the molten plastic cools around the pipe. The pipe used can be made from materials such as metal wind chimes, tubular arials and bong pipes with the bowl unscrewed. A Popper is performed in much the same way as a bong, except a rush-hole is not required, as when it is "shot" the mixture in the pipe falls into the water, allowing air to enter quickly. One way people do this is by cutting 1cm off a cigarette and putting it in sideways into the piece then packing cannabis on top by stamping the piece into a cannabis covered flat surface. Or by taking a flattened piece of tobacco and maneuvering it into the top of the tube, again the cannabis is added on top. When the user smokes a Popper they light the cannabis and breathe slowly then when the cigarette underneath begins to burn they pull as hard as they can creating a "pop". This gives the user a quick couple minute head rush and gets them high faster with less cannabis. However the water requires cleaning often because the waste materials fall directly into it.

			In countries where marijuana and hashish are illegal, some retailers specify that bongs are intended for use with tobacco in an attempt to circumvent laws against selling drug paraphernalia. While technically "bong" does not mean a device used for smoking mainly cannabis, drug-related connotations have been formed with the word itself (partly due to punning with Sanskrit ''bhangah'' "hemp"). Thus for fear of the law many ]s will not serve customers who use the word "bong" or "bongs", or any other word typically associated with illegal drug use.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2006-02-16/news/head-games/\|title=Phoenix New Times: Head Games\|access-date=2010-12-09\|archive-date=2011-06-17\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110617080727/http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2006-02-16/news/head-games/\|url-status=dead}}</ref>
	== See also ==
	{{Wikibookspage\|How To Build A Pykrete Bong}}
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* Audio sample of a ] (])
	* Popular bong manufacturers: ]. ], ]
	{{Cannabis resources}}

			Some ] bong manufacturers (notably RooR) have sought to curb the ] market for their products by suing stores accused of selling fake merchandise.<ref>{{cite web \|last=Spencer \|first=Terry \|url=http://www.thecannabist.co/2017/01/23/bongs-bogus-lawsuit-counterfeits/71915/ \|title=Pipe maker sues: Fake bongs hit world of high-end glass pipes \|date=23 January 2017 \|publisher=Thecannabist.co \|access-date=2017-01-28 \|archive-date=2017-01-28 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170128012449/http://www.thecannabist.co/2017/01/23/bongs-bogus-lawsuit-counterfeits/71915/ \|url-status=live }}</ref>
	==External links and references==
	*, from the Newsletter of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies; MAPS - Volume 6 Number 3 Summer 1996.
	*
	*
	* Satire by No Time, brought to you by Wayback Machine

			==See also==
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			==References==
	]
			{{reflist\|30em}}
	]

	]
			==Further reading==
			*Erika Dugas, Michèle Tremblay, Nancy C.P. Low, Daniel Cournoyer, Jennifer O'Loughlin: ''Water-Pipe Smoking Among North American Youths'', Pediatrics, Published online May 10, 2010, {{doi\|10.1542/peds.2009-2335}} (Full Text free)

			==External links==
			{{Commons category\|Bongs}}
			{{wiktionary\|bong}}
			*
			*

			{{Authority control}}

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Latest revision as of 19:46, 24 October 2024

Device used for smoking tobacco, cannabis, or other herbs This article is about a pipe that is used for smoking cannabis and other substances. For the preparation of cannabis leaves and flowers, see Bhang. For other uses, see Bong (disambiguation).

A bong (also known as a water pipe) is a filtration device generally used for smoking cannabis, tobacco, or other herbal substances. In the bong shown in the photo, the smoke flows from the lower port on the left to the upper port on the right.

In construction and function, a bong is similar to a hookah, except smaller and especially more portable. A bong may be constructed from any air- and water-tight vessel by adding a bowl and stem apparatus (or slide) which guides air downward to below water level whence it bubbles upward ("bubbler") during use. To get fresh air into the bong and harvest the last remaining smoke, a hole known as the "carburetor", "carb", "choke", "bink", "rush", "shotty", "kick hole", or simply "hole", somewhere on the lower part of the bong above water level, is first kept covered during the smoking process, then opened to allow the smoke to be drawn into the respiratory system. On bongs without such a hole, the bowl and/or the stem are removed to allow air from the hole that holds the stem.

Bongs have been in use by the Hmong in Laos and Thailand, as well all over Africa, for centuries. One of the earliest recorded uses of the word in the West is in the McFarland Thai-English Dictionary, published in 1944, which describes one of the meanings of bong in the Thai language as, "a bamboo waterpipe for smoking kancha, tree, hashish, or the hemp-plant". A January 1971 issue of the Marijuana Review also used the term.

Etymology

The word bong is an adaptation of the Thai word bong or baung (Thai: บ้อง, [bɔ̂ŋ]), which refers to a cylindrical wooden tube, pipe, or container cut from bamboo, and which also refers to the bong used for smoking.

History

Excavations of a kurgan in Russia in 2013 revealed that Scythian tribal chiefs used gold vessels 2400 years ago to smoke cannabis and opium. The kurgan was discovered when construction workers were clearing land for the construction of a power line.

During the reign of Emperor Akbar, physician Hakim Abul Fath invented the waterpipe in India, and discovered tobacco. Abul suggested that tobacco "smoke should be first passed through a small receptacle of water so that it would be rendered harmless". Other sources also show evidence of the invention of the waterpipe in China during the late Ming dynasty (16th century), along with tobacco, through Persia and the Silk Road. By the Qing dynasty, it became the most popular method to smoke tobacco, but became less popular since the Republic era. While typically employed by commoners, the water pipe is known to have been preferred by Empress Dowager Cixi over snuff bottles or other methods of intake. According to the Imperial Household Department, she was buried with at least three water pipes; some of her collections can be seen in the Palace Museum.

The water pipe employed since the Qing dynasty can be divided into two types: the homemade bamboo bong commonly made and used by country people, and a more elegant metal version employed by Chinese merchants, urbanites, and nobility. Metal utensils are typically made out of bronze or brass, the nobility version of silver and decorated with jewels. Typically, the metal version is made out of the following components:

The water pipe itself, a single-piece construct consisting of the bowl-stem, the water container, and a drawtube at least 3 inches, but some can be up to 12 inches in length. Some are straight with a "Joint" (Sandblasted top part of stem, usually about 1 inch long, and all the way around, tapered or cone shaped, so the tapered, or "cone shaped" bowl will fit in)some are bent to resemble a crane. The size of the bowl is similar to that of a one-hitter, typically the width of a thumbnail or smaller.
The tobacco container with a lid.
A pipe rack small enough to be held by one hand, and consisting of two large holes for the tobacco container and the water pipe. It may have smaller holes to hold various pipe tools.

During a smoking session, the user may keep all equipment inside the rack and just hold the entire assembly (rack, pipe, and container) in one hand, lighting the bowl with a slow-burning paper wick (纸煤) lit over a coal stove. Unlike in North America and the Southern Hemisphere, the water pipe is typically employed by older generations.

Use

Sound of a bong in operation

Problems playing this file? See media help.

The water can trap some heavier particles and water-soluble molecules, preventing them from entering the smoker's airways. The mechanics of a bong are compared to those of a laboratory gas washing bottle. The user puts their mouth at the top and places the cannabis in the tube, as shown in the picture.

Bongs are often either glass or plastic that use a bowl, stem, and water to produce smoke. Most glass bongs are made from heat resistant borosilicate glass, allowing the bong to withstand repeated use and heat exposure without breaking. After the bowl has been packed and water has been inserted into the bong, the substance is lit and the smoke is drawn through water to produce a smoother smoke than other methods of smoking do. To smoke a bong, the smoker must inhale in the bong so bubbles containing smoke begin to come from the stem. Once the bong has a fair amount of smoke built up, either the carb is uncovered or the stem is separated from the bong, allowing the remaining smoke to be inhaled.

However, a 2000 NORML-MAPS cannabis study found that "water pipes filter out more psychoactive THC than they do other tars, thereby requiring users to smoke more to reach their desired effect". In the study, smoke from cannabis supplied by the NIDA was drawn through a number of smoking devices and analyzed. This study looked at the tar to cannabinoid ratio in the gas in output by various bongs, as well as unfiltered and filtered joints, and vaporizers. The results showed that only vaporizers produced a better tar to cannabinoid ratio than unfiltered joints, but that within the cannabinoids produced, even vaporizers warped the ratio of THC (the psychoactive component of the smoke) to CBN (capable of producing medical benefits but is not psychoactive) in favor of CBN. This showed an unfiltered joint had the best tar to THC ratio of all, and bongs were actually seriously detrimental in this respect.

MAPS also reviewed a study that examined the effects and composition of water-filtered and non-filtered cannabis and tobacco smoke. It found that when alveolar macrophages were exposed to unfiltered smoke, their ability to fight bacteria was reduced, unlike exposure to water-filtered smoke. It also found substantial epidemiological evidence of a lower incidence of carcinoma among tobacco smokers who used water-pipes, as opposed to cigarettes, cigars, and regular pipes. "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. These frits are commonly referred to as diffuser for the way that they diffuse (or disperse) the smoke as it exits the downstem, and usually consist of small holes or slats at the end of the downstem. This study suggests that a bong's smoke is less harmful than unfiltered smoke.

Adverse health effects

Bongs that are cleaned regularly eliminates yeast, fungi, bacteria and pathogens that can cause several symptoms that vary from allergy to lung infection.

Plastic bongs

It has been reported that it is possible to taste the chemicals in the water from a plastic water bottle left sitting in a hot car because "...chemicals have leached into the contents of the bottle." It was also reported that it is possible to imagine that this process of chemicals leaching into water occurring with "...a homemade water bottle bong where the bottle is routinely heated up."

It was also reported that "According to Cancer Research UK, plastic bottles heated up to 60°C contain unhealthy levels of toxic chemicals."

Legal issues

In the United States, under the Federal Drug Paraphernalia Statute, which is part of the Controlled Substances Act, it is illegal to sell, transport through the mail, transport across state lines, import, or export drug paraphernalia.

In countries where marijuana and hashish are illegal, some retailers specify that bongs are intended for use with tobacco in an attempt to circumvent laws against selling drug paraphernalia. While technically "bong" does not mean a device used for smoking mainly cannabis, drug-related connotations have been formed with the word itself (partly due to punning with Sanskrit bhangah "hemp"). Thus for fear of the law many head shops will not serve customers who use the word "bong" or "bongs", or any other word typically associated with illegal drug use.

Some brand name bong manufacturers (notably RooR) have sought to curb the counterfeit market for their products by suing stores accused of selling fake merchandise.

References

"Contraband: The Sale of Regulated Goods on the Internet". Archived from the original on 2016-04-12. Retrieved 2010-03-24.
Delaney, Arthur (2008-05-09). "How To Make a Skull Bong". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Archived from the original on 2023-02-14. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
"The real history of the bong". 420 Magazine. 5 February 2008. Archived from the original on 2023-02-16. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
National Geographic (22 May 2015). "Gold Artifacts Tell Tale of Drug-Fueled Rituals and "Bastard Wars"". National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on 2022-05-10. Retrieved 2022-05-10.
"Waterpipe Overview – WHO FCTC Secretariat's Knowledge Hub on waterpipes". Archived from the original on 2022-01-15. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
"Marijuana Consumption: Smoking, Eating, And Drinking Marijuana". Archived from the original on March 23, 2015. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
Keliher, Evan (2003). Grandpa's Marijuana Handbook (2nd ed.). Chula Vista, California: Aventine Press. p. 37. ISBN 978-1-59330-135-4.
"MAPS - Volume 6 Number 3 Summer 1996 -". maps.org. Archived from the original on 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
^ Cozzi, Nicholas V. "Effects of water filtration on marijuana smoke: a literature review". UKCIA. Archived from the original on 2020-11-09. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
"The Dangers of a Dirty Bong", leafscience.com, 16 July 2018, archived from the original on 21 May 2022, retrieved 21 December 2022
^ Powell, Burgess (2014). "The Dangers of Smoking Out of Plastic". High Times. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
"DEA Definition of Paraphernalia - gas mask bong, Squeeze bottle filled with GHB..." headshops.us. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
"Phoenix New Times: Head Games". Archived from the original on 2011-06-17. Retrieved 2010-12-09.
Spencer, Terry (23 January 2017). "Pipe maker sues: Fake bongs hit world of high-end glass pipes". Thecannabist.co. Archived from the original on 2017-01-28. Retrieved 2017-01-28.

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