Jungle Fever: Smoking Paraphernalia & Legal Highs

Herbal smoking has led to the creation of numerous appliances and devices. These have been developed as cultural symbols, out of necessity with improved technology, or simply as a matter of fashion or style.

Water pipes have been in use for centuries around the world. Evidence of their very early use has been found throughout Asia and the Middle East. Today, their popularity has spread throughout the West as well. A bong is a type of water pipe that is used for smoking substances such as legal herbs. The bong is particularly popular in countries, such as the US, the UK, and Canada, amongst others. Originally from South East Asia, from the areas of Thailand and Laos, the bong first received recognition in the journal ‘Marijuana Review’, which published an article in 1971 about this device.

Another type of water pipe is the hookah pipe. This contraption is referred to by a variety of names depending on the country where it is being used. In Arabic, it is known as a shisha. It contains one or more pipes for smoking, and a chamber for water. Originally developed in India, the hookah pipe’s popularity quickly spread throughout the Middle East and Asia. Like other water pipes, the hookah utilises water to filter and cool the smoke, indirectly derived from herbs. The hookah is also known as a nargeela in many areas.

Water pipes, including glass bongs, continue to grow in popularity around the world. Using smoking bongs has been compared to smoking regular herbal cigarettes. These comparative studies tested whether smoking through a water pipe, such as a bong, is ‘healthier’ than cigarette smoking. The results of many studies indicate that this is actually the case.