Blunts vs. Bongs - What's Better to Use?

Let’s be blunt about it, there are lots of ways to consume legal herbs and concentrates. Nowadays you can eat it, drink it, vape it, and even take a bath in it -  but most of us start out by smoking the green stuff. Smoking is the most common way to consume herb, but there are so many different ways to go about it. The most prevalent methods include rolling up a blunt and packing a bong. To some there is a clear first choice, but for others they are incomparable - each having their own place.

Like most great debates in the counterculture community, it all comes down to personal preference and which one is best for the users individual needs. However, there are some key characteristics that might help influence your choice. Let’s talk about them.

First, let’s break down the bong. The name supposedly comes from an adaption of the Thai word “baung” which refers to a bamboo pipe used for smoking. In present-day, most bongs are made of borosilicate glass and are similar to a hookah in function. They use water percolation to not only cool down the hot smoke as it travels through the piece, but filter out some small bits of tar and other combusted material before it gets into your airways.

This means you’ll get a cleaner hit, one where you can really taste your herb. The percolator works in this way by breaking up the smoke into small bits that then interact with the surface of the water in the chamber. The more bubbles there are, the more surface area there is that can be cooled by the water. Add ice and you’re in for an even cooler hit.

While users will have to clean a bong every so often to ensure that clean hit, the amount of bud that’s saved by using a bong exclusively can be considerable. You’re only smoking what you pack and it’s combusted completely. That being said, bongs are most often used in smaller groups or for a solo sesh. They aren’t portable and being stopped with one could get you slapped with a paraphernalia charge in some states. The more the piece is passed around, the higher chances of it being dropped or broken. This is a big deal if you have put a lot of money into purchasing a heady piece of glass complete with personalized bong attachments. Unless you have one of these silicon foldable bongs, best to keep the daily driver at home.

Now let’s discuss what a blunt is. A blunt is the name given to a cigar that has been hollowed out and the tobacco replaced with legal herbs. It originated in New York City by shortening the name of a popular cigar brand named Phillies Blunts, but it’s now a common term for any cigarillo or wrap. Inexpensive and available in most gas stations and corner markets across the United States, these wraps come in a slew of flavors such as standard grape to flavors like chicken and waffles. This makes it so you can personalize your smoking experience with your favorite flavor.

Blunts are most often used in a social setting as they last long and can be thrown out after finished - no paraphernalia. Smokers will need to know how to roll which can take some finesse, but once you get the hang of it you’ll understand why everyone loves a good blunt. It’s sometimes almost therapeutic.

They do require quite a bit more herb than a bong, and if you’re not a fan of roaches or filters, it can be slightly wasteful. The smoke produced also tends to be harsher due to containing tobacco. Tobacco smoke yields a stronger odor than that of just flower that tends to linger longer. If you prefer to steer clear of tobacco, there are now several organic hemp wraps.

But What’s Better?

It's important to remember that ultimately both will affect respiratory health. Combusting, or burning, material is a chemical reaction that creates carcinogens that you are then inhaling. If you choose to smoke blunts made from tobacco, not only are you inhaling the flower's carcinogens, but also those created from the wrap. Tobacco contains nicotine and other, more diverse, kinds of carcinogenic properties known to cause cancer.

Some studies have claimed the compounds in herb kill numerous cancer types, but the fact is smoke, of any kind, still causes cellular damage. Water in a bong does not filter out these carcinogens completely, but if you want to go the more health conscious route they're the way to go. That's not to say you can't roll up from time to time.

No matter which one you choose, remember to always consume responsibly and in moderation.