A bong works in three moves: pull smoke into the chamber, clear the chamber into your lungs, exhale. To do it, fill the base with water just above the downstem, grind your flower, pack a small loose bowl, light the edge of the bowl while you draw, lift the bowl piece out to clear the chamber, then breathe out. Wait about ten minutes before taking a second hit so you can feel the full effect first.
what do you need to smoke a bong
What You Need Before You Start
- A clean bong with a matching bowl piece and downstem
- Cannabis flower
- A grinder
- A lighter or hemp wick
- Fresh water
- A flat, stable surface in a well-ventilated room
- Someone who can stay with you if this is your first time with cannabis
In the United States you must be 21 or older to buy or use recreational cannabis in legal states. Follow your state and local rules, and never drive after you inhale.
Top Pick: Best Bong Smoking Tips for First-Time Users
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Set the bong on a flat surface at roughly chest height so you do not have to bend over it.
- Pull the bowl piece out of the downstem.
- Pour water into the mouthpiece until the level sits about 1 inch above the slits at the bottom of the downstem.
- Put the bowl piece back into the downstem and check that it seats without wobbling.
- Grind your flower to a medium, even texture.
- Fill the bowl about one quarter full and leave the flower loose instead of pressing it down.
- Sit or stand upright and breathe all the air out of your lungs.
- Seal your lips around the mouthpiece so no air leaks at the sides.
- Hold the flame to the outer edge of the bowl and draw through the mouthpiece with a slow, steady pull.
- Keep drawing until the chamber is roughly two-thirds full of smoke.
- Stop the flame and set the lighter down.
- Lift the bowl piece straight out of the downstem to release the smoke into your lungs.
- Inhale the smoke from the chamber in one smooth breath.
- Move the bong away from your face and take a small breath of fresh air.
- Exhale and set the bong down.
- Wait ten minutes before you pack a second bowl.
The Water Level Does the Work
Water cools the smoke and traps some ash and tar before it reaches your mouth. Too little water and the hit feels hot and harsh. Too much and water splashes up the neck into your mouth. Aim for roughly 1 to 2 inches of water in a standard straight tube or beaker base, or just enough to cover the percolator slits on a multi-chamber piece. Fill the bong before each session and dump the water out when you finish.
How to Corner a Bowl
Cornering burns only part of the bowl so the rest stays fresh for later. Instead of lighting the middle, hold the flame at one edge and let it catch a small patch of flower. After that patch turns to gray ash, rotate the bowl piece slightly and light the next edge on your next hit. A bowl packed this way gives three or four smaller sessions instead of one large one, which suits most beginners better.
what do you need to smoke a bong
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Packing the bowl tight, which blocks airflow and makes the draw hard
- Filling the chamber with the whole bowl, then trying to take it all at once
- Leaving the bowl piece in with a lighter on it, which keeps smoke building and turns harsh
- Swallowing air or sipping in short bursts instead of one steady pull
- Taking a second hit before the first one has fully hit
Cleanup and Basic Safety
Dump the water after every session. Used bong water can collect bacteria and residue, and it smells far worse than fresh water. Rinse the piece with hot water, then clean it with isopropyl alcohol and coarse salt when resin builds up on the glass. Change the bowl water before you share the piece with anyone, and wipe the mouthpiece between users.
Inhaled cannabis smoke still irritates the lungs, and modern flower can be far stronger than what people used decades ago. Start with one small hit, keep water and a snack nearby, and skip bongs entirely if you have a heart, lung, or anxiety condition that cannabis may affect. Store the piece and your flower out of reach of children and pets.