The glass bong is an iconic part of the marijuana scene and has been a staple in the pot world for many years. Most movies, especially older movies, reference smoking marijuana out of a bong. Some shows or movies even have extremely large bongs that some of you may have even smoked out of before.
With that being said bongs have since lost their shine as people have associated the stoner image with the bong. Since many states have legalized marijuana the legal market has tried to disassociate themselves from that stoner look. The nappy headed, dirty, bong smoking hippie has gotten quite a bad reputation over the years and people associate the marijuana black market with that look.
New Devices
There have been many advances in the marijuana industry. Today’s cannabis user has several different options to smoke out of. Back in the day the glass bong was like a crowned jewel to many smokers and there was something special about owning one and smoking out of one.
Nowadays however, you have all these different types of bubblers, vaporizers, and marijuana pipes that can be used for smoking pot, the bong has lost some of its appeal to the public. It was bound to happen with legalization becoming more and more common.
Not only that but pre-rolls and blunts are extremely popular ways to smoke cannabis in today’s world. Hip hop artists, rock bands and many other musicians have popularized the use of joints and blunts by referencing them in their songs. Not to mention joints and blunts are very enjoyable, and are quite easy to smoke on the go.
The other great thing about joints and blunts is that all you need is a lighter. You don’t have to worry about carrying around a pipe and realistically who wants to carry around a dirty pipe?
The Rig
Not only are there a lot of new ways to smoke cannabis, but concentrates, oils and waxes are more available these days in the modern marijuana world.
One of the great things about the bong is that with the combination of the water and the filtration, the cannabis smoke usually gets the user higher than when smoking out of a pipe. Rigs and concentrates have brought that threshold to the next level.
Rigs are almost like the evolution of the bong. They look very similar, in fact if you get the right banger which is just the piece of glass you heat and put the dab on, you can actually use your bong as a rig. If you’ve never heard of the term rig before it basically just means you can smoke concentrates out of it. There are many different types, some are electronic like Enails and Puffcos and others are just good old fashioned glass.
If you’ve never seen or used a glass rig, basically you would take a torch lighter and heat the glass banger or nail for about 45 seconds to a minute. Once the glass turns red from the heat you will let it cool for 30-45 seconds, and then you put a small “dab” of concentrate onto a metal or glass tool and put it into the heated surface. That will make the concentrate combust and turn into smoke in which the user can inhale.
Did The Rig Bring Back The Bong?
As I mentioned above many people have been able to simply take their old bong and buy a banger or nail to turn it into a rig. All it takes is simply replacing the bowl piece and purchasing a torch and you’re ready to dab.
With that being said it appears that the bong’s ability to be multi-purposeful has caused somewhat of a comeback for the bong.
Now don’t get me wrong there are many other ways to smoke concentrate. There are electronic pieces or pen-like devices that do a great job, but they can be very expensive and difficult to clean. The bong however, seems to be the most convenient and most affordable way to smoke concentrates.
Let’s face it, most of us want to save a buck when we can and using a bong as your rig will definitely save you some cash.
The World’s Largest Bong
Bongs come in all shapes and sizes and Las Vegas is home to the world’s largest bong which is over 22 feet tall! It was located in Cannabition, a marijuana museum located in Las Vegas. But the museum has since closed and is moving to another state. Cannabition’s team and Jason Harris of Jerome Baker Designs worked together to create this masterpiece.
I know that the owners of the museum actually smoked out of the giant bong the day before they opened… It took a minute to clear the 22 foot chamber but everyone was pretty happy afterwards.
Bongs Are Awesome
No matter where you stand on smoking preferences I believe everyone has a special place in their heart for bongs. They go hand and hand with marijuana, they always have and always will, and that’s not a bad thing. Bongs are pretty cool and some are extremely creative and advanced. Appreciate and love the bong and don’t ever let it die.
