7 Misconceptions About Smoking and Bongs - Mythbusters!

With a growing acceptance of cannabis comes a lot of curiosity coming in from all ends, not only is the consumer curious, but doctors, scientists, and researchers are starting to tune in now. This opens a whole new realm for not only the user but also someone on the outside looking in, as revolutionary studies are being processed as the widening legalization demands more substantial answers for questions that have remained unanswered over the ages.

Throughout the years smoking tricks and techniques have been passed down and although many of these are fun to try not all of them are particularly safe. Here’s a breakdown of all your most basic urban smoking legends!

1. Do bigger bongs affect you more than smaller ones?

Bongs come in all different shapes, colors, and sizes for a variety of different purposes; some rigs are specifically meant for dabbing, others are meant for dry herb, while all of them vary in style. Due to the wide range of functions, there are so many factors aside from the size in glass that contribute to the overall quality.

 

While bigger bongs can dimensionally hold more smoke, the overall quality can be based on other factors in the glass. Different add-ons and sizes can affect the quality in the smoke delivery, for example, if a shorter piece includes an ice cube catcher, this will cool the smoke at a much faster rate and will ultimately lead to a smoother hit. Many smokers are certain that they retain a cleaner or smoother hit with a smaller bong, however, this should be something everyone determines individually based on their own experience. While smaller bongs may not particularly get you more lifted, there are different shapes, variations, and percolators that can enhance the size and smoothness on smaller pieces. 

This Daily High Club Recycler Bong although only standing at just above 7 inches tall promises a clean, smooth delivery because it has three attachments and a matrix percolator. These attachments are just some of the factoring enhancements along with product potency, bowl size, and glass cleanliness. Ultimately, this will all be a matter of personal preferences because everyone has different lung capacities.

2. Does holding the smoke in longer affect your more?

This is something that’s been heavily debated throughout the community for years, while some insist holding in smoke will make you higher, others can’t find that same appreciation for it and find the holding in smoke rather uncomfortable.

Many can agree there is a prominent difference in the way it hits you when you hold in the smoke however, this feeling regrettably is not the feeling of absorbing more THC. The head changing sensation that people are feeling after holding in smoke is actually a lack of oxygen and an increase in heart rate. One study conducted in 1989 monitored the subject’s carbon monoxide levels while they smoked active marijuana at three different breath holding time durations. The first puff was held in for zero seconds, the second puff was held in for ten seconds, while the third for thirty seconds, ultimately there was no significant increase in the effects of marijuana caused from holding the smoke in longer. In fact, this can actually put you at a higher risk of the negative effects associated with smoking, by holding it in longer the lungs are being exposed to the carcinogens that naturally occur in smoke during combustion. Inhaling smoke beyond the first few seconds will not make you anymore stoned, however, you might experience a head rush from the lack of oxygen.

3. Vaporizers are better for you than bongs 

When vaporizers initially hit the market they were aimed at helping people to quit smoking cigarettes and contained lower doses of nicotine than cigarettes. Just a few years later THC vape cartridges hit the market and took off within less than years. These cannabis cartridges are filled with THC extract similar to those used to dab, however, because the extract on its own isn’t viscous enough to properly heat up the concentrate into smokable steam, companies had to find a solvent to enhance the consistency of the extract. These solvents, like Propylene glycol or Vitamin E oil, are highly unregulated in this industry and can be potentially dangerous for the lungs but because cannabis is still illegal in many states there isn’t a lot of research on the effects of these extracts in THC cartridges. These cartridges are unlike bongs because they do not have that built-in filtration system that water pipes do, which aids in removing the toxins from the smoke. In a bong, as the smoke passes through the water a lot of the dirty, carcinogens are filtered out as they pass through the water.

This is why solvent-free vapes are the way to go, the two most promising ways to get the cleanest rips from a vape is to research a company beforehand and make sure they are a lab-tested and solvent-free company.

Another easy, safe way to smoke on the go is using a portable vaporizer like The Dipper Vaporizer, which has a similar concept to your classic vape however you can pack this using standard concentrates, with no additives, the same ones used for dabs, into the heating chamber and vape the concentrate independently. Something like this will be one of the healthiest ways to smoke cannabis because there are absolutely no additives, it’s just the pure form of the THC extract. 

4. Can mangoes actually enhance your cannabis experience?

Many people have shared similar experiences surrounding cannabis and mangoes, personalizing their favorite munchie around the long-beloved mango. Mangoes are believed to enhance people’s high however is this actually possible? Can mangoes really make you higher? Although independently, mangoes can not get you elevated, there are factors that support the phenomenon behind this belief. Mangoes actually contain terpenes, a naturally occurring compound that can also be found in cannabis. Terpenes occur naturally in a variety of different plants like bay leaves, eucalyptus, and lemongrass, the prominent terpene in mango is called Myrcene. Terpenes can vary widely in the effects and strengths but myrcene has consistently interacted well with THC. Myrcene alone contains therapeutic properties so when it is mixed with the cannabinoids in cannabis it increases the intensity of the high. Fresh mangoes are ripe with terpenes so eating one anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours before smoking, giving it time to digest is ideal for this dynamic duo!

5. Does coughing make you higher?

Although coughing is natural and inevitable between smoking sessions this doesn’t particularly mean it will make you higher. It certainly feels that way though after coughing a lung out for five minutes when the rip starts to settle in, but similar to the experience lungs have when smoke is inhaled for too long this is caused from the lack of oxygen. So you may not particularly be getting more elevated but again, there will most likely be an increase in heart rate due to the lack of oxygen. This increase in heart rate is often confused with a stronger rip however the chances that the coughing is making you higher is unlikely. Coughing could be a result of a variety of reasons from irritable lungs to inflammation or dry mouth, the most important thing is to listen to your body. Let your body react because it's a natural reaction and it can be a sign from your body to slow down or take smaller hits. 

6. Will eating regular/ raw flower get you stoned?

As beginners, we have all wondered about it and just about all of us have tried it. Eating raw weed, it only makes sense that if you can get high off of the herb, then why wouldn’t you be able to just eat it?  Cannabis is a special kind of flower, more specifically what is in it, although the THC is what is used to measure the potency of the pot, it isn’t until the THC reaches a certain temperature that its properties are activated. This is why eating raw weed will not get you stoned. This heating process typically happens when the flower is sparked with the lighter when the flower is lit the THC is combusted into a powerful chemical called THCA which is the component that results in the onset of cannabis. Every form of consumption requires decarboxylation at some point during each process, the heating process used to ensure that the flower and terpenes reach a certain temperature so that the effects are prominent. 

This is a crucial part of the edible making process because unlike regular herb, this weed is not directly being lit or heated. In fact, to make infused edibles correctly, there is a whole step that demands the flowers sit in the oven because if it doesn’t reach the temperature of decarboxylation, the final outcome will not be effective. There are many different ways to explore THC consumption but without this process at some point in the process, cannabis can’t be experienced the same way.

“Bud without decarboxylation, won't get you near relaxation” - The Silent Buddha

7. Can you drink bong water?

“You can smoke resin and you can dab reclaim, but you can’t drink the bong water.” - M. Kim

Many of us have pondered this question upon discovering the glorious bong, what happens to the water? Is it clean? Can the bong water get you lifted?

Over the years we can develop a better sense of the answer to this question but it only makes sense that if it’s just weed passing through then how bad can it actually be? This question brings us back to the assessment of the different filtration functions, one of the huge perks to owning a water pipe is that they generally deliver a cleaner rip and are smoother hitting than dry pipes. While the smoke directly passes through water it filters out many of the toxins that the smoke naturally carries in it. Not only would the water taste terrible, but before you can even get it down the foul smell might foil any considerable plans to test this out. Unless a piece is rinsed out, brand new, and has obviously never been used, with clean drinking water in it, it is highly advised that you do not drink the bong water. 

“You can drink bong water, just like you can drink a beer with a cigarette in it, by accident. -A. Castro

Too often there are honest misunderstandings between sessions, so before you try anything extraordinary make sure you understand the full length and risks to the different techniques there are out there. While some of these are completely harmless practices, others can have long term effects when we make them into daily habits. So smoke responsibly friends!