Now that cannabis is finally legalized in Canada, law-abiding citizens across the country are discovering the pleasures of smoking for the first time. If you have questions about technique and or equipment, and aren’t sure where to turn, you’re in the right place. 

We’ve put together this handy guide for rookies to help you learn the ins and outs of one of our favourite ways to smoke. Once you’re up to speed, head over to our shop and pick up a bong of your own. After all, practice makes perfect.

Smoking weed is a pastime with a relatively low barrier to entry — you don’t need a lot of gear in order to get started. The beauty of it is that you can add pieces as you go, experimenting with different tools and techniques as you grow more comfortable with smoking. 

When you’re just starting out with learning how to smoke from a bong, the list of required materials is fairly short:

THE MARIJUANA

At the risk of stating the obvious, you’ll have to procure some bud. Thankfully, doing so is much easier and risk-free since legalisation. If you’re new to smoking, we recommend starting with a strain that is either high in CBD, or low in THC. Don’t make the mistake of jumping into the deep end right off the bat, it’s much better to swim in at your own pace.

THE GRINDER 

Strictly speaking, you don’t need a grinder to smoke from a bong. Grinding your weed as finely as possible is useful for rolling a good joint, but having evenly-sized morcels of marijuana can also help with your bowl-packing, giving you a smoother, more even smoke. Check out our store to find a great grinder if you need one.

THE BONG 

There may be as many bongs out there as there are fish in the sea, but they can largely be broken down into the same four components: the bowl, where the herb goes; the choke or the carb, which helps control the flow of air; the chamber, which holds the smoke; and the mouthpiece, from which you inhale. Choose a simple bong to start, one that you’re comfortable using and having around your home.

THE FLAME

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. There’s nothing wrong with lighting your bong with matches, but since you’ll need to apply a flame multiple times throughout a session, we definitely recommend a lighter. The cheaper, the better; there’s no point in wasting the flint of your fancy lighter when a disposable one will get the job done just as well.

THE SPLOOF 

This is more of a quality-of-life item than an outright necessity. Weed smoke gets into everything, and the smell will stick to your clothes for days. A sploof is a great and easy way to counter that, using materials you probably already have lying around. Wrap a dryer sheet around one end of a used toilet paper tube, fasten it with an elastic, and you’re done! 

Now when you inhale from your bong, just blow out into the open end of the tube, and let the sploof work its magic. The dryer sheet will filter the smell right out of the smoke. Just remember to replace the sheet once it starts to turn dark to keep your sploof working perfectly. 

Now you’re all set to start smoking. We’ve broken down every step of the process to ensure you’ve got all of the information you need to smoke with confidence and ease.

1. REMOVE THE STEM

If you can, remove the stem from the bong. The stem is the piece to which the bowl is attached, and in most bongs, it can be taken out completely. We’re doing this to avoid any accidents when packing the bowl. Being tall, skinny objects, bongs are easily knocked over if you’re not careful with them.

 2. BREAK OFF A SMALL NUGGET

You’ll want to place a small chunk of weed at the bottom of your bowl to help block any smaller pieces from being inhaled through the opening. Careful not to cover the hole entirely; you still need the air to be able to flow freely.

3. FILL YOUR BOWL

Carefully pour your ground herb into the bowl. You’ll want to overfill the bowl at first, but be sure to do so loosely. Aim to have a mound of bud coming up over the rim of the bowl, but not so much that it’s falling out. 

4. PACK IT IN

Here’s why you overfilled that bowl. With your thumb, gently press on your mound until the weed is level with the rim of the bowl. Careful not to compress the contents too much or else you’ll get dead spots where the air won’t flow. Figuring out how much to fill a bowl to get a nice even burn takes a little practice, so don’t be too hard on yourself on your first try.  

5. PUT YOUR FINGER OVER THE CHOKE

Once your bowl is packed, place the stem back into the bong and find the choke. Leaving that hole open when you smoke will leave you quite literally sucking wind. Place a finger from your non-dominant hand (you’ll see why soon) over the choke. 

6. APPLY THE FLAME

Holding your lighter in your other hand, put the flame to the contents of the bowl and start slowly inhaling from the mouthpiece. If you’re using one of our glass bongs, you’ll notice the chamber start to fill with smoke. When it looks full, you can put the lighter down. 

7.LET ‘ER RIP (CAREFULLY)

Still inhaling slowly, remove your finger from the choke and watch as the smoke disappears from the chamber right into your lungs. Hold your breath for as long as you feel comfortable doing so, but if you’re just starting off, try not to overdo it. Congratulations! You’ve just smoked your first bowl! 

8. ENJOY THE RIDE!

Now comes the best part: lay back and relax. Get as comfortable as possible and put on some music or a movie. Sometimes it’s even better to get active and do some yoga, create some art, or go tour a museum. The key to enjoying a high is doing what feels good to you in the moment, so keep your mind open and set your spirit free.

There you have it! Using this foolproof guide, you’ll have no problem with your first experience smoking a bong. As you’ll soon find out, bongs are a popular way to smoke cannabis for a reason. Once you’re comfortable experimenting with various liquids, you’ll soon see that you can tailor your smoke to be as smooth and flavourful as you want.

And of course, you aren’t just limited to bongs. Once you’re ready to start customizing your smoking experience, head over to our accessories shop to discover the wide range of options available to smokers. 

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re happy to help newbies and experienced smokers alike! Happy smoking!