Jungle Fever: Smoking Paraphernalia & Legal Highs

In the world of recreational drug use there is a great amount of jargon, just as there is for any other hobby from fishing to cricketing to chess.  Members of a particular group feel more comfortable and united if they share a specialised vocabulary that means little if nothing outside the group, as exemplified by such terms as ‘bong’ and ‘blunt’, along with much other specialised vocabulary.  The Volcano Vaporizer, for those not in the know, might be some fiendish device created by Fu Manchu for all the average man in the street knows, but to the aficionado it means something quite specific.

Bongs, for example, have a lot in common with the more familiar hookah pipe, used widely in the Middle East to draw smoke from various plant materials through often scented water and into the lungs of the user.  The water acts as a filter to remove the more harmful elements in the smoke, and it also cools the smoke down to promote a more pleasant experience.

Bongs have their origin in Thailand, where the original name derives from the bamboo implements that used to be used for drawing the smoke up.  Nowadays they are made from all sorts of materials, with glass often being considered the material of choice because it contributes nothing to the smoke as wood does.  There are specialists in these and other pieces of legal high equipment with sites on the internet which sell not only the kit but the plant products as well. 

The act of inhaling the smoke from burnt plant material goes back thousands of years and seems to have been around since the very earliest times.  Like most other inventions it was probably discovered accidentally and soon became standard practice, and today’s pipe smoker is the inheritor of a tradition almost as old as walking upright.

To primitive man, as also to the remote tribes of today, the necessary materials were all around them in the form of natural tubes such as bamboo and other plants for the equipment, herbs for the ingredients and flint-generated fire for the fuel.  Fortunately, with the exponential growth of the internet, indulging in a legal high is easy even for those of us who have lost the knowledge of how to hollow out a cane or create a fire.

Bongs are available in a variety of materials, from acrylic and aluminium to glass and wood, although glass is preferable for an uncontaminated smoke.  The herbal mixture is simply heated until smoke is given off and then water is used to filter the smoke and remove toxins before it is sucked up.  The mild hallucinogens in the smoke are also partially filtered out as well, so bongs are not ideal for a strong hit, and are more comparable to a few pints down at the local pub.

Vaporizers deliver a harder punch as they don’t actually ignite the herbs but only heat them up, and the vapour contains no harmful elements, which is why this equipment is used in aromatherapy.

Bongs, those essentially simple pieces of equipment used to filter smoke from herbs and deliver it through the mouth for a legal high, have their origin in the Far East, in Thailand and Laos.

The term itself has been used for hundreds, if not thousands, of years to describe bamboo worked into a tubular structure, and nowadays they are being manufactured by modern methods and using synthetic materials to bring the joys of a safe and legal high to a growing number of health conscious smokers.  They are available at many sites on the web and also in the high street, and are a much safer way of inhaling plant derivatives than smoking cigarettes or blunts.

Water is used in the bong to filter harmful substances present in the smoke from burning herbs of various kinds, and it also cools the smoke in the process.  A number of aromatic substances such as rose petals and different types of natural oils can be added to adjust the effect of the filtered smoke and induce a sensation of calm and wellbeing.

For serious bong users, glass bongs are especially attractive because, although bamboo is the traditional material favoured by enthusiastic purists, it contributes its own unwanted residues to the smoke.  Glass contributes nothing, and therefore the smoke contains only toxins which are filtered away and the active substances that induce the desired effect.

There are all sorts of models available, from portable bongs to multi-pipe bongs that are used by a group of people in a social setting.

For some people, the term ‘getting high’ conjures up images of needles and broken humanity, and it is easy to forget that getting high is a national and perfectly normal preoccupation, as you can witness in any pub at any time.  Although it probably isn’t the term that would be chosen by the average drinker, it is arguable when you see ordinary folks staggering in the street and collapsing in the gutter on Saturday nights that getting high pleasantly on traditional herbal essences is preferable to getting legless at the local pub.

It is also a lot healthier.  Forget about lung and throat cancer and cirrhosis of the liver.  The equipment used to get legally high on plant products, such as bongs and vaporisers, is designed to filter out the harmful toxins in the smoke.  In the case of bongs this is achieved through the use of water, which cools the smoke as well as filtering out the harmful elements; with vaporisers, the plant material doesn’t quite combust but gives off an aromatic vapour, so vaporisers are generally considered the safest method of inhaling plant products.

Although vaporisers are a modern innovation, now widely used in aromatherapy, bongs have a long history, and in fact the term ‘bong’ comes from Thailand where it is used to describe any tubular bamboo object.  The materials may have changed, with acrylics, aluminium and glass now used in their manufacture, but the principle remains the same.

You don’t have to be a desperate criminal or a spaced-out delinquent to get high these days, and it is a common misconception that the people looking for a quick high are shady characters or the dregs of society skulking in stairwells and back alleys, desperate for a “fix”.

In truth, many perfectly respectable and useful members of society, from politicians to bankers to people just looking to relax after a hard day’s work, like to enjoy some natural herbs occasionally and enjoy a legal high either alone or with like-minded friends.  Many people are now discovering the benefits of inhaling filtered vapours from natural plant products rather than killing themselves with alcohol and tobacco, so there are even definite health benefits to inhaling these natural derivatives.

Natural herbs have been used in a multitude of combinations down the centuries and even millennia to enhance a sense of well-being.  Nowadays, modern technology is being used to reproduce and optimise ancient and traditional pieces of equipment to bring the same soothing effect to the pressurised victims of Western capitalism and help them restore some balance into their dysfunctional and alienated lives.

Bongs are a typical example of the sort of kit we are talking about, and one of the simplest methods of getting mild natural hallucinogens to the brain in as healthy a way as possible.  Water is used to cool the smoke produced by heating the herbs, and natural oils and aromatics are used to enhance the experience and prolong the effect.  

Bongs come in many shapes and sizes, from the simplest and cheapest affairs made from wood or acrylic to the expensive and collectable Roor bongs, the royalty of the bong world.  But not everyone is preoccupied with status and gnawed at by a need to display wealth and success so conspicuously, and where the main concern is a decent hit there is plenty of choice out there.

Small portable bongs are great for the traveller, or for anyone on the go who wants a small, simple device that fits easily into the pocket and can be whipped out at a moment’s notice.

Whatever type of bong you go for it will work in essentially the same way.  Water is used to filter harmful particles out of the smoke given off by burning herbs in the bowl, before it gets to the user’s mouth.  If this sound like a hubble-bubble, that’s right, but the bong is much older than the hookah.  It derives its name from the Thai word for any tubular structure, and was in fact invented in the Far East centuries ago.  The hookah first made its appearance in the Middle East much later, but can still be seen all across the region.

Wood was traditionally used to make bongs, but metal, glass and acrylic are popular alternatives, especially glass as it is easier to clean and doesn’t contaminate the smoke in the way that wood and acrylic do.

The water is frequently laced with aromatic spices to heighten the effect of wellbeing in the user.

Smoking bongs – or water pipes – was very popular in past centuries, and it has again risen to prominence in Western societies in the last few years as a way to enjoy legal highs.  However, it may take you a few times using a bong to actually get the hang of it.  This is because you may not be inhaling the legal high substance properly and holding it in your lungs long enough to experience the desired sensation. 

What is a Bong?

A bong is a particular type of glass, ceramic or acrylic device used for smoking an herbal mixture.  Unlike other pipes, a bong is usually cooled down with water, which is what makes enjoying a legal high using a bong a much smoother, more pleasant smoke.

How Does a Bong Work?

All bongs work in a similar way.  The stem of a bong is shaped like a bowl with a tube attached to it.  The cylindrical end of the stem is connected to the bong chamber.  Water goes inside the bong chamber, through which you smoke the legal high, sealing your lips around the top of the chamber so that smoke does not escape.

You put water in the chamber of the bong and the smoke from your legal high rises up through this water.  You smoke it by sealing your mouth around the top of the chamber and inhaling.  Remember not to pack the bong bowl with too much of the legal high substance, so that you have room to inhale air through the mixture.

A bong is the most popular means by which you can inhale the substances which can give you a legal high.  Once you have tried it a few times, a bong is easy to use, but it can look complex at first.

A bong is a water-filtered apparatus that offers the cleanest, safest and smoothest way by which to use a legal high which can be smoked.  Therefore, the bong is becoming increasingly popular.

To get your legal high, first you need to fill the bong with water.  This is what will cool down the smoke, making it easier on your lungs.  You can also add ice to your bong, but you need to make sure there is enough water in there so that it bubbles when you inhale through it.  You can also use hot water, as the steam helps to take moisture into the lungs and avoid coughing when the lungs dry out. 

Make sure you don’t have too much water in the bong.  Make sure it doesn’t spill out as you bend to inhale the legal high.  However, it should be deep enough so that all the smoke runs through the water.

You are now ready to pack the bowl with your legal highs.  Pack it reasonably tightly, but not overly so.  You want enough legal high in there to get a good length of smoking time; however, you also need to be able to pull in air through the legal high substance.

When you are ready to smoke, put your mouth to the pipe, sealing your lips around it so the legal high vapour does not escape without being breathed in.  Hold the bong with one hand covering the hole in the side of the bong.  It will probably be most comfortable to sit and rest the bong on your chest.  Hold the lighter to the bowl containing the legal high and inhale at the same time as lighting it.  Inhale until you fill the chamber with the amount of smoke you want.

After that, uncover the hole in the bong and take the pipe from your mouth for a few breaths.  After that, leave the bong hole uncovered and inhale the smoke from the bong.  If you are sharing a bong, make sure none of your smoke is left in the bong before you pass it on.  Try to inhale the smoke and hold it as long as possible in your lungs to experience the maximum legal high.

Bong water pipes have been used for centuries in Laos and Thailand but became popular with Australian travellers and surfers as an economical method of smoking.  The image for years was that of a surfer lying by his board on an Australian beach and smoking his bong, just hanging out with the waves. 

Bongs can now be bought online and enjoyed across the globe.  There are a number of reputable online retailers that sell bongs and the herbal mixtures that makes using these contraptions such as pleasant and enjoyable experience.

When you go online you will see that there are loads of bongs that you can choose from.  There all different shapes and sizes, and they are made of several different materials.  Your bong can be made from glass, acrylic, ceramic as well as the original Thai bamboo.  You can even pick the size of the bong that suits you.  You can have one that fits discreetly in the cupboard, or one that has multiple pipes so that your smoking session can be a shared experience, which is great for parties. 

Acrylic bongs are a good buy if you are just starting out and are not too sure of your preference.  These types of bongs come at great prices and are also ideal if you only smoke on an occasional basis.

If you want to enjoy a cooler smoke then plump for a glass bong, because the glass can withstand higher temperatures.  There are also a mini bongs that can fit into your pocket or purse so that you can enjoy your legal highs wherever you travel.

A bong is a device that has become associated primarily with illegal substances, although in truth it can be used to smoke many other products, including tobacco and other legal highs. Bongs can come in all shapes and sizes.

While bongs are traditionally made out of glass, the acrylic bong has become increasingly popular due in part to the fact that they are a lot easier to clean and a lot harder to accidentally break than the more common glass bongs. Acrylic bongs are also often quite a bit cheaper than their glass counterparts, and are available in a more interesting variety. Glass bong users, such as fans of roor bongs, claim that they give generally smoother ‘pulls’ than their acrylic rivals. Bongs have been around for a very long time, having been used for a great many centuries in countries such as Thailand and Laos. Often, multi-pipe bongs are used in cultural ceremonies.

The appeal of the bong, as opposed to other methods for smoking various substances, is that the water in the bong helps cool the substance, thus cutting down the chances of burning either the mouth or the lungs. The water can also help to trap heavier particles and some soluble minerals, giving a kind of “filtration” effect and preventing some of the more toxic elements of the substance from entering the user’s body. There are several studies that do indeed back up this widely held belief, suggesting that smoking with a bong is safer than smoking unfiltered.

In some countries, the bong is sold specifically as a tobacco inhaling device, thus allowing them to remain on sale.