Revision as of 20:31, 26 September 2006 view sourceOhnoitsjamie (talk | contribs)Edit filter managers, Autopatrolled, Administrators260,845 edits rvv← Previous edit | Latest revision as of 19:46, 24 October 2024 view source Monkbot (talk | contribs)Bots3,695,952 editsm Task 20: replace {lang-??} templates with {langx|??} ‹See Tfd› (Replaced 1);Tag: AWB | ||
(999 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown) | |||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Short description|Device used for smoking tobacco, cannabis, or other herbs}} | |||
{{cleanup-date|July 2006}} | |||
{{About|a pipe that is used for smoking cannabis and other substances|the preparation of cannabis leaves and flowers|Bhang|other uses|Bong (disambiguation)}} | |||
{{inappropriate tone}} | |||
{{pp|reason=Persistent ]|small=yes}} | |||
] | |||
:''For the county in Liberia, see ]'' | |||
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. | |||
:''For the cooling apperature, see ]''. | |||
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. | |||
] | |||
A '''bong''' or '''water pipe''' is a device used for smoking ] or other drugs such as ], ], or ]. The bong (and its many extant technological elaborations) is a prominent social artifact of the international body of ]. | |||
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. | |||
The word ''bong'' derives from the Thai word ''baung'' (บ้อง)<ref></ref> which refers to a cut off section of ]. | |||
== |
==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. | |||
===Principles=== | |||
] | |||
Smoking from a bong is somewhat different than smoking from a ] or ]. Bongs are designed to cool the smoke before it enters the smoker's lungs, to build up a large buffer of smoke which the user inhales quickly, or to filter unwanted chemicals from the smoke before inhalation. | |||
==History== | |||
One inhales with his or her mouth sealed against the large opening at the top of the chamber. Sucking the air out of the bong 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 bong's "]" - where the combustible matter has been placed and is lit whilst simultaneously inhaling - pulling the smoke down through the stem. The smoke then bubbles through the water, into the chamber and into the mouth and lungs. The bubbling produces a characteristic noise. For example, blowing bubbles into a glass of liquid with a drinking straw, demonstrates the same ], except that the blower is assuming the role of the atmosphere and not the bong user. | |||
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> | |||
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: | |||
The water helps filter out some of the undesirable substances found in smoke, such as tar, and many other carcinogens as these are water soluble. It also helps cool the smoke down before it enters the lungs, allowing for a smoother and deeper inhalation. Some bongs are designed with twists or traps for ice in the neck. Some people have experimented by replacing the water with fruit juice or alcoholic spirits or have a preference of using steaming water, if their bong can withstand the heat of the 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. | |||
*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}} | |||
==Use== | |||
Many bongs have a small hole; a ''carburetor'' or ''carb'' (also called a ''shotty'' (from 'shotgun'); ''choke''; or ''rush (hole)''). This is simply a valve that the user places his finger over when inhaling allowing the chamber to fill up with smoke. If the user releases the carb then he or 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 users lungs more rapidly than just normal inhaling would do. 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. | |||
] | |||
{{Listen|filename=Hitting the bong.ogg|title=Sound of a bong in operation}} | |||
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. | |||
In other bongs, the bowl-piece is removable. This piece is then called a 'slide', 'pull', 'slip stem', or 'suicide carb', and is similar to the carb in function. When the stem 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 ]). | |||
] | |||
==Description== | |||
] | |||
A typical bong is made of few components (numbers on the picture correspond to the descriptions below): | |||
# A '''mouthpiece''', this is where the user's mouth is placed, sealing out air through that hole. Doing this renders the bong airtight (providing there is an airtight seal around the stem and, if a carburetor hole is present, it is also covered. When "airtight" it has but one small source of air, the small bowl where the substance is placed. | |||
# A '''chamber''', where smoke collects. When the desired amount of smoke is accumulated, the 'carb' hole is released, allowing air/smoke to suddenly shoot down the users lungs (the user should be inhaling throughout, from the moment the substance is lit). The height and width of the chamber can vary and this naturally changes the volume. If all the smoke is not removed from the bong in a single hit, the user can exhale and take another hit. | |||
# A '''base''', holds the water and is usually wider than the chamber so it can stand up without tipping (see the ] of a spillage). Some models have removable bases. The bottom end of the "stem" ends up in the base. | |||
# A '''Down Stem''' (also known as "chamber" or "slide"). This is a tube which has one end in (which goes to the very bottom, but cannot be blocked) the base and the other end sticking out the side with the bowl at the end of it. The stem also collects resin over time (if the bowl does not reach the water line) which can clog the stem, and reduce the air flow through the water. If one is in need of getting high, they can remove the excess resin built up in the stem, and smoke it like they would any other substance. | |||
# A ''']''' (also known as "conepiece", "headpiece" or "]") is usually a removable cup or cone shaped container made of metal, glass, wood, or ceramic, where the substance is packed and ignited. In some designs, such as glass, the bowl is not removable (i.e. part of the stem), whereas in others a screw-on system means other bowl-heads (such as six-shooter bowls) can be placed on. 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. | |||
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." | |||
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. | |||
===Motivations=== | |||
] | |||
The characteristics of the bong enable the material to be smoked in ways not possible with a simple ] or ]. Another advantage of using a bong is that it uses much less tobacco than rolling a whole cigarette, because only the bowl needs to be packed. Because the chambers on most bongs are 2 to 3 inches (50–75 mm) in diameter the temperature of the air moving through the chamber is reduced. 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 the operator 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, or seen as long time/experienced smokers. | |||
===Adverse health effects=== | |||
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: ] --> | |||
{{see also|Vaping-associated pulmonary injury#Possible causes}} | |||
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 ] than they do other tars, thereby requiring users to smoke more to reach their desired effect" <ref>http://www.maps.org/mmj/vaporizer.html</ref>. 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. | |||
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> | |||
However, ] <ref>Nicholas V. Cozzi, Ph.D. </ref> also conducted a review of some of the scientific work that has been done regarding the effects of water filtration on the composition and effects of ] and ]. It found that when ] 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 ], ] and regular pipes, have lower incidences of ]. "It appears that water filtration can be effective in removing components from ] 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." <ref>Nicholas V. Cozzi, Ph.D. </ref> This seems to suggest that from a ] perspective bongs may quite well be the best option, regardless of the small amounts of ] lost through ] (note: ] has a very low solubility in water). | |||
=== |
====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" /> | |||
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" /> | |||
When a bong is not properly maintained especially in regards to cleaning, the water used to filter and cool the smoke can take on many undesireable characteristics. These effects can include simple discolouration in the form of a green and eventually brown tint. In addition, as a bong is smoked, often ash is sucked through the stem where it rests in the bong water. | |||
==Legal issues== | |||
Many bong users prefer using other additives, such as flavoured drinks and alcoholic beverages, 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. | |||
] | |||
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> | |||
Finally, there are energy drinks advertised as "bong water". These often add flavour while containing very few other properties. | |||
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> | |||
===Cleaning=== | |||
Bongs become quite dirty and smelly after use. Depending on what material a bong is made from it can be cleaned easily without use of often expensive commercially sold bong cleaning kits or solutions. 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 glass 99% ] works best; it instantly cleans resin in seconds. Pour iso alochol and salt or rice inside, cover any holes and shake/stir the solution around. Pour out and repeat if necessary. Once clean rinse out well with running water. You can also soak it in the iso overnight or place in a bag with iso/salt or rice mix and then shake it around in the bag. ] or other devices can be put in the bag to clean with without opening the bag or making a mess. This works well with pipes as well. | |||
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> | |||
==Materials== | |||
Bongs can vary greatly in their shape, material, style, color, and size. Commonly constructed from ], ], ] or ], bongs can also be fabricated from materials as diverse as ] or even from household objects such as empty water bottles. Some people even make bongs out of fruits and vegetables and discard them after use. Many bongs are regarded for their style, distinct vivid colors, or customizations such as stickers, and become a personalized signature of that particular owner. Some people even name their bongs. These names usually reflect ] or some particular distinction of the bong. | |||
==See also== | |||
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, even apples and potatoes. Though care should be taken since burning plastics results in the production of dangerous ]. 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. | |||
{{div col|colwidth=30em}} | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
{{div col end}} | |||
==References== | |||
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, and the chambers of the bongs of ], ] or ]. | |||
{{reflist|30em}} | |||
==Further reading== | |||
Materials such as ], plastic, rubber or garden hoses may emit ] chemicals when heated. ] has been linked with ] but research in this area has been inconclusive{{cn}}. ] can release fumes which may induce ]. Little has been documented on the inhalation of these fumes but the practice should be avoided. ] may release rubber, metal and aluminum fumes. | |||
*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}} | |||
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 and even ] attachments. | |||
{{wiktionary|bong}} | |||
* | |||
* | |||
{{Authority control}} | |||
===Carburetor=== | |||
] | |||
Carburation hole bongs use a hole to release the vaccum and allow the smoke to enter your lungs.they are easy to construct so are more often used in home-made versions. | |||
===Slide=== | |||
] | |||
Slide bongs have two piece downstems. One is attached to the bong itself and the other, with the bowl, slides into that one using a smaller diameter. To use you pull out the second piece by the bowl. | |||
] | |||
A zong is the same as a bong, but has one or more kinks in the neck. The kinks allow the zong to have the same smoke capacity as that of a taller bong, but in a shorter and sometimes more interesting looking package. The kinks also prevent water from splashing on the smoker's mouth. Zongs are typically made of glass, and can vary in number of kinks and diameters. Ice can also be added in the zong neck, getting trapped at a kink, and cooling the smoke for the user. (For more on ice bongs, see below) Zongs are usually more expensive than regular bongs due to the more complex shape. | |||
===Ice Bong=== | |||
One of the most common variety of bong is the ice bong which are a sub variety of slide or carburetor bongs. These are typically made of glass or acrylic like this one to the right. 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 colours and are popular due to the durability, ease of use and controlability. They usually have ] 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 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. | |||
===Vaporizer-Bong=== | |||
] | |||
A vaporizer-bong, or "vapor-bong," is the use of a box type ] or heat gun and a bong. Connected via a special glass attachment. The vapor goes through attachment, filters through the water, and may pass through a layer of ice - creating an ice-cold, vaporized hit of herbal material. | |||
===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 made from a firm and rigid bottle, 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. 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 aerials and bong pipes with the bowl unscrewed. A shotty is performed in much the same way as a bong, except a rush-hole is not required, as when it is "shot" or smoked 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. One could also take a flattened piece of tobacco and maneuver 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 inhale as hard as they can, creating a "pop". | |||
===Gravity bong=== | |||
{{ main|Gravity bong }} | |||
] | |||
A ] (also known as bucket bongs, buckets, g-bongs, GBs, sinkers, torpedoes, depth-charges, aqualungs, or turbos) does 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, hence, more chemicals can be absorbed. These devices are known for inducing huge coughing fits in their users and can be very unpleasant to use. People sometimes use a pipe coming down from the bowl into the water which is the length of the bucket to act as the stem, thus filtering the smoke through water. | |||
Another variation of the gravity bong is the reverse gravity bong, also known as a "waterfall." A waterfall is made by punching a hole in the bottom of a large container (usually measuring at least one gallon) and by attaching a bowl piece to the top of the container in the place of its lid. Some people may make the bowl out of the lid or a piece of aluminum foil. The container is filled (the hole being covered). Once it is filled the bowl is placed on top, the marijuana is lit, and the water is drained. This creates a vacuum effect and pulls the smoke into the container. Once the water is done draining, the smoke is inhaled. A "SoBe bong" is a waterfall made from a glass ] bottle; these bottles are often used because the manufacturing process creates an indentation near the bottom, which can easily be knocked out to form a drain hole. | |||
Another variation of the waterfall consists of a .5 liter water bottle and a metal 4mm (or around) socket wrench bit. The bit is placed in a pre drilled (or burned) hole in the cap of the water bottle. The marijuana (usually no more than .2 grams) is then placed in the metal bit. A hole is cut or burned into the bottom section on the side of the water bottle, the bottle is filled with liquid, top is replaced and the marijuana is lit, and the bottle is drained. | |||
== See also == | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* Audio sample of a ] (]) | |||
* Popular bong manufacturers: ]. ], ], ], ], ], ] | |||
==References== | |||
<references /> | |||
==External links and references== | |||
* | |||
* , from the Newsletter of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies; MAPS - Volume 6 Number 3 Summer 1996. | |||
* , Erowid Psychoactive Substance vault, Bongs FAQ | |||
{{Cannabis resources}} | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] |
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 operationProblems 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
See also: Vaping-associated pulmonary injury § Possible causesBongs 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.
See also
- Drug paraphernalia
- Hookah
- One-hitter (smoking)
- Gravity bong
- Operation Pipe Dreams
- Thuoc lao
- Vaporizer (inhalation device)
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.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - "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.
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
- Erickson, William V. et al. Water pipe or bong. US Patent 4,216,785.
- 2400-year-old Scythian bongs excavated