Smoking Cannabis: Which Way Is The Safer Way?

When it comes to smoking marijuana, there isn’t a 100% safe way of doing so. Similar to tobacco’s harmful smoke, cannabis smoke also releases some of the same carcinogens and toxins that can affect your health, including your lungs, heart, and more. 

Today, there are quite a few different methods of smoking cannabis, some of which can be safer in comparison to others. 

Cannabis And The Bongs

So let’s talk bongs. Also referred to as binger, bubbler, or billy, bongs are water pipes that allow you to smoke cannabis. You can find bongs with different sizes, shapes, and colors. Some are so majestic-looking that they could be considered fabulous pieces of art. Could you imagine having one of these in your living room? It would be the source of everyone’s admiration. 

If you are new to all this, here is how bongs work. According to BudStars, the small bowl is where the dried cannabis is placed. As you light it, the weed will start combusting, and as you inhale, the water will percolate in the bottom of the bong. The smoke will make its way through the water, following the chamber into your mouth and lungs. 

The water aspect of the bong eliminates the dry heat you get when smoking a joint, making it feel smoother and creamier. But even though the bong makes the smoke smoother and more enjoyable, it doesn’t filter out enough of the toxins to really make a big difference for your health. So, when you smoke marijuana via a bong, the toxins and carcinogens that get released into your system can still damage your lung tissues or small blood vessels. 

What About Vaping?

Vaping can also present some concerns regarding its health effects. Vaping concentrates has been linked to thousands of cases where lung injuries, and in some cases, even death occurred. According to a study published back in 2006, this risk seems to stand when vaping concentrates, and not flowers. 

When vaping the actual marijuana flower, it presents less risk of damaging your respiratory system. 

One of the main reasons why so many users prefer vaping in comparison to smoking is because of potency. It has been reported by many users, that by vaping cannabis they experience stronger effects, regardless of the THC content. 

Let’s Also Talk Blunts And Joints

It is believed that out of these two options, joints seem to be the better choice. Blunts are created with hollowed-out cigars, which in themselves are already highly toxic. Because cigar wrappers are quite porous, this causes the smoke to contain high concentrations of toxins. Even if one was to remove the tobacco from a cigar, cancer-causing elements, such as nitrosamines, might still be there. 

There is also a significant difference in size. Blunts hold significantly higher quantities of pot. Smoking one blunt would be like smoking six joints, so you should keep this mind as well. 

If Smoking Is Still Your Choice, Here Are A Few Safety Tips

  • Choose GLASS bongs and pipes. Plastic bongs can add to the level of toxins going into your body. They usually release chemicals such as phthalates and BPA, which are linked to health concerns, such as cancer.
  • Loosen up the inhale. Meaning, don’t hold it, the faster you exhale, the better for your health. When you inhale on deeper levels and you hold the smoke in longer, your lungs get exposed to more tar per breath. 
  • Keep it clean. It should go without saying, but let’s say it anyway. Don’t roll your cannabis on dirty surfaces, and keep your bongs and pipes clean at all times.
  • Sharing is not caring in this case. If you are really generous and like to share with others, you should restrict your sharing habits to your stash. When you share your bongs, pipe, or joint, you are putting yourself (and others) at risk for a variety of infections due to the saliva that also gets shared. 
  • Use FDA- approved rolling papers. Some rolling papers may contain flavorings or chemicals that may have toxins, so you might want to consider investing in the FDA-approved rolling papers. 

None of the smoking options are toxin-proof and risk-free. If your priority is to protect your health, then there are plenty of other ways to consume cannabis in a safer manner. These options include marijuana edibles, topicals, tinctures, pills, suppositories, capsules, oils and many more. 

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