Bongs vs. Joints: Which One Is Better for Your Lung Health?

As far as smoking equipment is concerned, many people have been torn between bongs and joints of the experience, the intensity of the high, as well as the ease of use. However, one aspect that needs to be also focused on in this discussion is health – or, in fact, lungs’ health. Any form of smoking affects the lungs or rather respiratory system, but the said methods may be safer than others. In this article, we will provide you more insight on how bongs are better than joints when it comes to the lung health as well as why even the smokers prefer bongs.

Understanding the Basics: What are Bongs and Joints?

Now, to analyze the health aspect, let’s define the difference between bongs and joints.

• Joints are the most common method used in smoking. They are plant material of cannabis rolled in a sheet of rolling paper and then burned and the smoke is drawn into the lungs. Joints are common and loved due to their relatively simple preparation needing only rolling papers and filters.

• Bongs, are bowls that contain water through which the smoke must pass before it is inhaled. The most important parts of a bong include the bowl (where the cannabis is put), the stem the water part, and the mouthpiece. Bongs are made from different materials, but glass bongs are most popular due to their strength and appearance.

The Role of Water in Bongs: Filtering the Smoke

The major reason bongs are considered far more favorable to your lungs than the traditional system. Depending on the smoke quality and type of water, a part of the toxic component and particles are filtered into the water. This makes the smoke less harsh when compared to joints It is also cooler than joints and there is not nearly as much tar burning into your throat and lungs as there is with joints.

• Bong health benefits: The water filtration system ensures you are not in contact with tar, ash, or any other substance you would otherwise be breathing right from the joint. It is not safe to smoke bong, but it can reduce the density of some irritants depending on its type.

As for the joints, there is no type of filter they provide. When you take a joint, the cannabis is engulfed in flames and emits smoke the smoke that contains tar, plant matter, and combustion products. These substances penetrate your lungs in a raw state, making it possible for them to cause a lot of irritation and long-term harm.

Bongs vs. Joints: Temperature and Lung Irritation

There is one significant distinction between the two techniques, which refers to the temperature of the smoke that is inhaled while smoking bongs contrary to smoking joints. Plants of a particular kind produce quite hot smoke, especially once the roach is consumed towards the last moments of a joint. This smoke is hot and can make one have a tight contraction of the respiratory system such as the throat and cause coughing.

• How to use a bong for a smoother experience: Bongs filter the smoke through water before inhaling. Low-temperature smoke is comparatively less hazardous to the lungs and throat; therefore the smoke is more enjoyable when inhaled. However, you do still get to cough even after using a bong though not as violently as you would while doing a joint with hot smoke.

Cooler smoke can also mean less harm done to the sensitive tissues of the lungs. Inflammation of respiratory tracts and higher chances of chronic bronchitis may also be a result of prolonged exposure to hot smoke from joints.

Bongs vs. Joints: How Much Cannabis Are You Inhaling?

Yet another point of comparison between bongs and joints is how much marijuana is smoked at one time. Joints tend to burn extremely quickly, it may be quite easy to take more than one realizes in one sitting.

• You decide how deep you want the hit to be with bongs. You can put in small bowls and use one hit at a time so that it is easier compared to bigger bowls and the freedom it provides. This may be less damaging to the lungs, as taking slow and regulated puffs may have a positive effect on the lungs.

Also, bongs give out denser smoke meaning that the user takes fewer hits than would be expected when smoking an entire joint. Probably you are right; the fewer times you hit the target the less pressure you apply on the lungs.

Joint Smoking and Combustion Byproducts

But one of the significant threats that are associated with joints is the risk of getting burnt through the rolling of papers. So even unbleached, natural rolling papers leave behind combustion byproducts when they are burnt. These byproducts may include chemicals that are known to cause lung irritation and other health problems in the long run.

• In contrast, bong smoking removes the need for rolling papers, and with each puff, you are exposed to fewer chemicals from the rolling papers. Although you might be still breathing in some combustion byproducts from the burning cannabis itself, there are fewer toxins when there is no paper involved.

Glass Bongs: Why Material Matters

The type of material used in your smoking apparatus can also affect your lungs in several ways. Glass bongs are specially ranked for their health benefits because they provide no hazardous toxins when it is heated. Glass is inert, and does not affect smoke chemically, or the taste it imparts to the smoke.

• Plastic bongs on the other hand may cause the release of dangerous chemicals when exposed to heat. High-quality glass bongs should be used at all times to minimize the number of risks associated with smoking.

Also, glass bongs are easier to clean and this is healthy to the lungs when used as compared to other types of bongs. A bong that has been used for some time will be full of tar and resin, which will completely offset the effects of the water filtration since you are inhaling stale, accumulated chemicals. It simply means that regular cleaning makes it easier on the throat and lungs as one hits the thing.

The Risk of Overuse: Moderation is Key

As a comparison to the health effects of the joint, bongs may provide certain health benefits but the use of smoke in any form is a risky affair. Both methods cause respiratory diseases such as repetitive bronchitis and lung irritation when cannabis is used for a long time frequently.

• To avoid these risks the following points can be remembered: The use of bongs should also be kept to a minimum. It is implied that the relatively random user of bong hits has no powerful harm compared to those taking it daily and in large amounts. More importantly, drinking water and using a vaporizer instead of smoking will also help to enhance the health of your lungs by avoiding the risk of lung cancer.

Alternatives: Vaporizing vs. Bong Smoking

If you think that cannabis affects your lung health but you want to keep consuming cannabis, then you can vape instead. Vaporizers are devices that smoke herbs, with the feature of heating cannabis to a certain temperature in which it activates cannabinoids, which produce vapor rather than smoke. It is essentially a form of combustion, and it almost completely eradicates the ill effects of combustion like tar and ash.

According to the intensity, vaporizers are the healthiest methods for lung health when compared to bongs and joints. Though bongs can provide some form of filtration, what one gets from a vaporizer is less likely to irritate the lungs.

Final Thoughts: Bongs or Joints?

When it comes to bongs vs. joints, bongs are generally considered the better option for lung health. The water filtration of the smoke cools it down and in the process washing out some of the harsh byproducts that the smoke may contain. Glass bongs, specifically, guarantee a clean, pure smoke without rolling paper or plastic chemicals or taste interferences.

It is important to remember that no smoking method can be considered safe enough. Regardless, of whether it is a bong or a joint, it is always wise to practice moderation to reduce lung damage. If one wants to get the best option in smoking apparatus, then it is preferable to use a vaporizer more than using bongs or rolling it in a joint.

In conclusion, smoking a bong is safer than a joint and still allows acting under the influence of cannabis; thus, while using it, one should bear in mind the possible risks and avoid being totally unaware of them. If choosing a bong, it is preferred to use glass bongs and the main rule is to clean the bong to minimize health issues while smoking.