Top 5 reasons bongs aren't cool
Something we regularly encounter at NCPIC is weed users letting us know often not so politely that in their view there are no harmful side effects of cannabis use, and that smoking a bong in particular, is a much safer and better way of using marijuana.
In case you need convincing here at NCPIC we ve come up with a list of the top 5 reasons why smoking a bong isn t cool! Yes, we know bongs do make the smoke cooler
1. Cool smoke is not better for you!
Cooler smoke might slide down easier than a blast of the hot stuff but that very fact means you can gulp down a whole lungful, exposing yourself to all the risks associated with smoking. Bongs make it easy to inhale more smoke and hold it in for longer. This increases the damage to your lungs, putting you at risk of respiratory diseases such as asthma, emphysema, and even cancer not to mention a hacking cough and more chance of picking up every chest bug in town.
2. Bongs and smokers cough
As mentioned above, bongs allow more smoke to be held in your lungs for longer meaning the likelihood of you developing a very attractive smoker s cough is increased. In case you can t see the downside to a phlegmy, mucusy, hacking cough, it isn t much fun it s tiring, wrecks sleep, is annoying for you and others to listen to and can even lead to weakened pelvic floor muscles (for men too!) causing incontinence issues. Not much cool about that.
3. Bongs are covered in bugs
It might seem like no big deal to pass around the bong with your mates, but would you share your toothbrush or give your mates a lick of your ice-cream too? Bongs can be absolutely covered in germs bacteria, viruses and other microbes found in your saliva. Fancy catching a cold-sore, or the flu? In 2011, there were even media reports of tuberculosis (TB) going around bong-sharing circles.
4. Plastic bongs can release harmful chemicals
Ever been warned not to reuse disposable plastic water bottles, particularly after they have been left to heat up in the car? That s because harmful chemicals can be released into the water as the plastic heats. The same advice goes for not microwaving your leftovers in those cheap plastic takeaway containers. Many bongs are made from old plastic drink bottles or other plastic containers and users can be exposed to these same chemicals as the plastic heats up from burning marijuana and smoke travelling through it.
5. Smoking a bong is not safer than a joint!
Despite many users believing that bongs are a safer way to inhale marijuana smoke, research has shown that bong smoke is just as damaging as smoke from a joint or cigarette. Bongs can cause wheezing, chest tightness and coughing not to mention more serious respiratory diseases as mentioned earlier. It is also not an efficient way to take in THC as the water also removes the desired component of the smoke which means you are exposed to more smoke for a given dose of THC.
Lets face it if those reasons aren’t enough to make you think twice about smoking a bong, or any other smoking implement, just picture yourself with lips glued to a slobbery bong, breath stinking of pot, and then puckering up to your boyfriend or girlfriend for a kiss. You owe it to them at least to keep your smackers fresh and your mind focussed on them don t you?
