Bongs share much in common with hookah pipes using, as they do, water as a filter system for the smoke from tobacco and various plant products, as well as cooling it for a more comfortable smoking experience.

Bongs originated in Thailand and Laos, in the Far East, where the name covers most forms of tubular bamboo structures which were originally cut from bamboo shoots. These days in the West, bongs are widely available in many different materials from specialist suppliers. Glass bongs are preferred because of the purity of the smoke produced, without any derivatives from the construction material, but you can also get them made from wood, and acrylic bongs are very popular because it is more difficult to break them than is the case with glass bongs. Roor bongs, made from hand-blown glass, are a top of the range make, and are often collected because of their elegance as well as functionality.

Vaporizers are widely considered the safest way of inhaling herbal compounds and mixtures, as the material is vaporized short of ignition, avoiding the production of smoke and its dangerous toxins.

Lower concentrations of carbon monoxide and other noxious gases have been documented and are key benefits whenever you are smoking your herbal mixture using a vaporizer.  When you compare the use of a vaporizer to the other methods of ingestion for getting a legal high, there is a more rapid onset of the desired “pharmacological” effect.  Additionally, the delivery of the vapour into the bloodstream is more direct.

From a health standpoint, smoking your herbal blends through a vaporizer is better for you than using a blunt, bong, or pipe to attain your legal high.  Although a bong offers the advantage of a cooler smoke free from particulate matter, the herbal mixture is still incinerated instead of vaporized.  Vaporizing provides you with the same desired effect that incineration does.  However, you are only being subjected to essential natural elements and not some of the toxins that you typically would ingest when you incinerate your herbal mixture.

Direct Conductional Heating – the classic, more common glass dome type vaporizers work by placing the plant material on a small plate (usually metal) where it heats up sufficiently and starts vaporizing the material.  This method is referred to as ‘direct’ because you place the plant material directly onto the heating element.

Indirect Conductional Heating – this is considered the superior technique employed for vaporizing the plant materials because it never directly touches the heating element.  Hot air passes over the material causing the active ingredients to be released.

Direct Lung Delivery – inhaling from this type of vaporizer involves heated air passing through the plant material which is then inhaled directly into the lungs.  Since the vapour is not stored, you inhale a larger quantity of vapour.

Stored Vapour Delivery – when using this vapour delivery method, the plant material is heated until the vapours form.  It is then stored in a balloon type of chamber or glass bowl for inhalation.  The difference between this method and the direct lung method is that you cannot inhale as large a quantity of smoke.  In other words, it results in a smaller ‘hit.’

Vaporizers are typically classified by the way in which the plant material is heated.  There are 3 primary ways in which the material is heated.

Convection – there is never any contact with a heating element because hot air is passed through the material which is heated rapidly, allowing the active ingredients to be released in the process.

Thermal Conduction – this type of heating involves setting the plant material on a metal plate, heating the plate to a temperature which is high enough to vaporize that material, before releasing the active ingredients.

Thermal Radiation – this type of heating method involves the use of bright light where the plant material’s temperature rises due to the fact that the material is absorbing the radiant energy of the light source.

Where the quality of the vapour is concerned, there have been very few reviews or studies which have significantly addressed this particular issue.  Instead the usage focus of the device has been centred on what each vaporizer type is being used for.  Be aware that vaporization with a number of plant materials occurs just prior to the material’s flash or ignition point.

Since using a vaporizer is more intense and potent than the standard smoking techniques, it is recommended that you take it a little slower at first if you have never used a handheld vaporizer before.  Here are some steps to take for using this type of vaporizer:

Step #1 – Grind the plant material until it has as fine a texture as possible.

Step #2 – Disassemble the vaporizer by unscrewing the mouthpiece from the glass bulb.  Place the ground up plant material into the bulb and then screw it back into the device’s mouthpiece.  Be careful that you do not spill any of the contents.

Step #3 – Using a lighter, hold the flame under the vaporizer’s bowl or bulb.  Begin rotating the bulb while holding the flame beneath it.  Continue doing this until vapour begins forming in the bulb.

Step #4 – Use the mouthpiece for inhaling the vapours after they have formed in the bulb.  Repeat these steps until you have had your fill.

While it is possible to clean a vaporizer without breaking down the components, it’s not the best approach.  Residue can collect at the points where the pieces join together, something you want to avoid.  In addition, if you are using a vaporizer that comes with an electronic base, you will want to be careful about using any type of cleanser on that particular part of the device.

For the bowl, stem, and mouthpiece, using a mixture of water and rubbing alcohol will normally remove any residue left from the plant mixture, and also disinfect the mouthpiece.  One approach that works well for many people is to apply the mixture, then rub with a clean cloth.  To make sure there is no alcohol left behind, use a second round of plain water, then dry thoroughly.

If the idea of using rubbing alcohol puts you off, you can use white vinegar instead.  Vinegar does not have the disinfectant properties of the alcohol, but does do a decent job of removing residue.

Depending on what the pieces are made from, you may also be able to use other cleaning agents.  Before experimenting too much, consider contacting the manufacturer and find out what they recommend in the way of cleaners.  This will help minimise the chances of using something that damages the pieces, and renders the vaporizer inoperable.

The process of releasing the active ingredients of an herbal or natural material by applying heat rather than combustion is known as vaporization.  Since combustion is never used, molecular changes to the material do not occur and harmful toxins are not inhaled to the lungs.  The fact that the plant material is never burned is the key benefit to using vaporization instead of the traditional method of smoking.

Additional benefits include the following:

- No carbon monoxide, tar, or other combustion by-products results when using vaporization, so there is less damage to the lungs.
- Vaporization results in cooler smoke temperatures which is less damaging to the lung’s tissues.  Additionally, there are no carcinogenic elements produced.
- You receive a more concentrated dose (larger hit) so less of the substance is required by the body, yet the same effect is achieved.
- The vapours are not contaminated by the body’s digestive acids before they enter the circulatory system so the effects are faster than regular smoking methods.
- Digital precision is another benefit of vaporization as you can control the amount of vapours that you ingest.

Vaporizers function by heating the plant material in a semi-vacuum so that the active ingredients are boiled off and become a vapour.  There is no combustion, and therefore, there is no smoke or the taste of smoke whenever you are using this device.  It has become extremely popular to use vaporizers for smoking the aforementioned plant materials.  Burning the material in traditional fashion produces carcinogenic, irritating, and toxic by-products that cause physical harm.  Using vaporizers is obviously a healthier alternative to smoking in the traditional manner.

Ideally, the vapour contains negligible amounts of harmful particulate matter and tars. It has also been surmised that smoking with the use of a vaporizer significantly reduces the concentration of carbon monoxide and other noxious gases.  The vapours can be extracted in various forms, through what are called extraction chambers.  These include:

- sequential venturi
- straight bore
- venturi

They can be constructed from different materials such as glass or metal.  Once the vapour has filled the extraction chamber, it is then inhaled using either a hose or a pipe to ingest the vapours.

Your first task is to put your mixture of herbs into the bowl of the device, then screw the stem into place.  Make sure the fit is snug, so there is no chance of the vapours seeping through a crack at the joint. 

Using your stash lighter, gently warm the herbs in the bowl.  This is accomplished by holding the flame under the bowl and slowly moving the bowl in circles over the flame.  You’ll notice that as the herbs begin to heat up, vapour forms in the bowl and begins to work its way up the stem.

Once the bowl and the lower portion of the stem are loaded with vapour, place your lips over the mouthpiece and inhale.  You’ll notice the sensation is not the jarring sensation that you get from smoking, but rather a gentle high that comes on as you inhale.  Some people find the gradual build-up to be ultimately more intense than smoking burning herbs.  

After finishing, always allow the bowl to cool to room temperature before attempting to unscrew the stem and remove the herbs.  Cleanup is very simple, requiring nothing more than a little warm water and possibly some mild detergent.  Depending on whether the herbs leave any type of residue in the bowl, something like rubbing alcohol may be needed.  If so, be sure to wash with warm water after the using the alcohol, so there is no residue left to spoil your next round of use.

First, the volcano vaporizer is considered to be a healthy alternative to smoking blunts or using bongs.  This is because the high is obtained from the vapours and is not mixed in with the smoke that is created when the herbs are burned.  Concerns about the carcinogens in smoke are of no consequence when using the vaporizer, since there is no smoke at all.  

Another advantage has to do with the relatively easy cleanup afterward.  With a volcano vaporizer, there are no ashes to deal with.  Often, a little warm water and some type of mild detergent is all that it takes to restore the equipment to pristine condition. 

Finally, there is the storage aspect.  Volcano vaporizers can be dismantled with ease, and stored in a very small space.  The heatproof bag can be folded, and the control valves and heating base placed on top, and the entire set stored away in a receptacle no larger than a shoebox.  This makes the vaporizer portable, while still allowing it to be used by several people at one time.

While a volcano vaporizer may cost a little more than other options for enjoying your herbs, a little proper care and maintenance will allow the device to provide many years of reliable service.  This means you don’t have to buy new equipment every so often, a fact that saves a lot of money in the long run.  All in all, this type of vaporizer is well worth consideration.