How to Smoke from a Bong

Co-authored by Aaron Justis

Last Updated: November 10, 2024 Fact Checked

Smoking a bong for the first time can be confusing, but it gets easier once you know what you’re doing. Before you can smoke anything out of a bong, you need to fill it up with water and pack the bowl. From there you need to light the bowl and fill the smoke chamber with smoke. Then you can inhale. If you’re just starting out, take it slow until you get more comfortable smoking out of a bong.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing the Bong

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1
Fill the bong with water . Bottled or tap water will work. The exact amount of water you should pour in will vary depending on the size of the bong you’re using. Fill up the bong so the water comes no more than 1 inch (2.54 cm) above the tip of the downstem (the long tube of glass that sticks into the bong). Any more water than that and you could get splashed while you’re smoking.
- When you’re filling the bong with water, pour the water directly into the mouthpiece (the open part at the top of the bong).
- If you need to find a high-quality bong, you can find them online at Headshop .
2
Grind up your cannabis . Use your fingers, a pair of scissors, or a grinder. Make sure it’s ground up finely. Break off a couple of larger pieces, about 0.5 cm (0.2 inches) long and wide, to pack at the bottom of the bong bowl.
- If you're using a grinder , take the lid off and place 2 or 3 buds of cannabis in between the grinder's teeth. Close the lid and twist the lid back and forth to grind up the cannabis inside. ^{[1]
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3
Pack the cannabis in the bong bowl. The bowl is the funnel-shaped piece that sits in the outside portion of the downstem. Take the large pieces of cannabis you set aside and pack them in the bowl first; these pieces will prevent the finely ground cannabis from getting sucked through the bowl as you're smoking. Then, pinch some of the ground cannabis between your fingers and drop it into the bowl.
- Don’t pack the cannabis too tightly or air won’t be able to pass through it. If the cannabis looks pressed down or compacted in the bowl, use something small and thin like a paper clip to stir it up and loosen it.
- If you're smoking alone, don't pack the bowl more than half full. You can always pack more later.
- If you're smoking with friends, pack the bowl so the cannabis comes up to the rim of the bowl. Don't pack it any higher or some could fall out as you're smoking.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Lighting the Bong

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1
Get into a comfortable position with the bong. If you’re new to smoking bongs, take a seat near a table or stand so you can set the bong down if you start coughing. Sit near an open window if you don’t want the room to fill with smoke .
- Make sure the area you're sitting in is free of any flammable objects.
Hold the bong with your non-dominant hand . Wrap your hand around the smoke chamber (the long section that connects the mouthpiece and the water chamber) or hold the bong from the bottom. Make sure you have a good grip before you light it. ^{[2]
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Breathe using your diaphragm (the muscle below your lungs). Filling your body with oxygen will make it easier to inhale all the smoke from the bong, and you won't cough as much.
Your lips should be inside the mouthpiece and the rim of the mouthpiece should be pressed against the area around your mouth. Make sure there aren’t any gaps so the smoke doesn’t escape.
Use a regular pocket lighter . Hold the lighter so it’s vertical and light it with your thumb. Keep your other fingers wrapped around the lighter so they don’t get burned.
Position the flame so you're only burning the edge of the cannabis in the bowl. This will help the cannabis in the bowl last longer. Hold the flame on the edge of the cannabis. ^{[3]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Inhaling the Smoke

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1
Inhale slowly as you’re lighting the bowl. The smoke shouldn’t be going into your mouth or lungs at this point. You’re just using your inhale to draw the smoke up into the smoke chamber. As you’re inhaling, you should start to see the chamber getting cloudy as it fills with smoke.
- If you’re new to smoking bongs, only fill the smoke chamber halfway with smoke for your first few tries so you don’t overwhelm yourself.
Set the lighter aside or hold it in your hand. Stop inhaling, but don’t remove your mouth from the mouthpiece or the smoke in the smoke chamber will escape.
3
Pull the bowl out of the stem and inhale the smoke in the chamber. Use the same hand you used to light the bowl to pull the bowl out of the stem. When you’re inhaling the smoke, inhale deeply so it goes into your lungs.
- If you can’t inhale the smoke in the chamber all at once, take your mouth off the mouthpiece and cover the mouthpiece with the palm of your hand so the smoke doesn’t escape. When you’re ready to inhale the rest of the smoke, remove your hand and quickly put your mouth back on the mouthpiece.
Holding the smoke in for longer won't get you higher, and it could be worse for your health. Holding the smoke in for 2-3 seconds will be enough to get you high. ^{[4]
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Blow the smoke into the room or out a window. If you're smoking with other people, tilt your head back and blow the smoke up so you're not blowing it in their faces.
6
Place the bowl back in the stem. If you’re smoking alone, relight the bowl when you’re ready to take another hit. If you’re smoking with friends, pass the bong and lighter to the person next to you.
- If you're all done with the bong, remove the bowl and pour out the water. Thoroughly rinse the bong and place it in a safe spot where it won't get damaged.