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Categories
Health
Medicines and Drugs
Recreational Drugs
Smoking
Pipe Smoking
How to Smoke from a Bong Download Article Co-authored by Aaron Justis
Last Updated: June 5, 2025 Fact Checked
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Preparing the Bong
|
Lighting the Bong
|
Inhaling the Smoke
|
Expert Interview
|
Things You'll Need
|Show more|Show less X
This article was co-authored by Aaron Justis. Aaron Justis is a Cannabis Expert and the President of Buds & Roses dispensary based in Los Angeles, CA. Buds & Roses is a premier Los Angeles cannabis retailer serving customers and the LA community since 2006. Since 2010, Aaron and the Buds & Roses team have been the proud recipients of 26 High Times Medical Cannabis Cup awards, including multiple first-place victories, solidifying their reputation as a top provider of premium cannabis products. As a recognized thought leader in the cannabis industry, Aaron has played a pivotal advocacy role in the Cannabis community. His thought leadership has attracted attention from mainstream media, including features and profiles in notable outlets such as CNN and Variety. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 2,549,669 times.
Smoking a bong for the first time can be confusing, but it gets easier once you know what you’re doing. Before you can smoke anything out of a bong, you need to fill it up with water and pack the bowl. From there you need to light the bowl and fill the smoke chamber with smoke. Then you can inhale. If you’re just starting out, take it slow until you get more comfortable smoking out of a bong.
Steps
Part 1 Part 1 of 3:
Preparing the Bong
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1 Fill the bong with water. Bottled or tap water will work. The exact amount of water you should pour in will vary depending on the size of the bong you’re using. Fill up the bong so the water comes no more than 1 inch (2.54 cm) above the tip of the downstem (the long tube of glass that sticks into the bong). Any more water than that and you could get splashed while you’re smoking.
When you’re filling the bong with water, pour the water directly into the mouthpiece (the open part at the top of the bong).
If you need to find a high-quality bong, you can find them online at Headshop.
2 Grind up your cannabis. Use your fingers, a pair of scissors, or a grinder.[1]X Expert Source Aaron JustisCannabis ExpertExpert Interview Make sure it’s ground up finely. Break off a couple of larger pieces, about 0.5 cm (0.2 inches) long and wide, to pack at the bottom of the bong bowl.
If you're using a grinder, take the lid off and place 2 or 3 buds of cannabis in between the grinder's teeth. Close the lid and twist the lid back and forth to grind up the cannabis inside.[2]XResearch source
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3 Pack the cannabis in the bong bowl. The bowl is a funnel-shaped piece that sits in the outside portion of the downstem. Take the large pieces of cannabis you set aside and pack them in the bowl first; these pieces will prevent the finely ground cannabis from getting sucked through the bowl as you're smoking. Then, pinch some of the ground cannabis between your fingers and drop it into the bowl.
Don’t pack the cannabis too tightly or air won’t be able to pass through it. If the cannabis looks pressed down or compacted in the bowl, use something small and thin like a paper clip to stir it up and loosen it.
If you're smoking alone, don't pack the bowl more than half full. You can always pack more later.
If you're smoking with friends, pack the bowl so the cannabis comes up to the rim of the bowl. Don't pack it any higher or some could fall out as you're smoking.
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Lighting the Bong
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1 Get into a comfortable position with the bong. If you’re new to smoking bongs, take a seat near a table or stand so you can set the bong down if you start coughing. Sit near an open window if you don’t want the room to fill with smoke.
Make sure the area you're sitting in is free of any flammable objects.
2 Hold the bong with your non-dominant hand. Wrap your hand around the smoke chamber (the long section that connects the mouthpiece and the water chamber) or hold the bong from the bottom. Make sure you have a good grip before you light it.[3]XResearch source
3 Take a few deep breaths. Breathe using your diaphragm (the muscle below your lungs). Filling your body with oxygen will make it easier to inhale all the smoke from the bong, and you won't cough as much.
4 Put your mouth on the mouthpiece. Your lips should be inside the mouthpiece and the rim of the mouthpiece should be pressed against the area around your mouth. Make sure there aren’t any gaps so the smoke doesn’t escape.
5 Light the lighter with your free hand. Use a regular pocket lighter. Hold the lighter so it’s vertical and light it with your thumb. Keep your other fingers wrapped around the lighter so they don’t get burned.
6 Tilt the lighter on its side and bring the flame to the bowl. Position the flame so you're only burning the edge of the cannabis in the bowl. This will help the cannabis in the bowl last longer. Hold the flame on the edge of the cannabis.[4]XResearch source
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Inhaling the Smoke
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1 Inhale slowly as you’re lighting the bowl. The smoke shouldn’t be going into your mouth or lungs at this point. You’re just using your inhale to draw the smoke up into the smoke chamber. As you’re inhaling, you should start to see the chamber getting cloudy as it fills with smoke.
If you’re new to smoking bongs, only fill the smoke chamber halfway with smoke for your first few tries so you don’t overwhelm yourself.
2 Stop lighting the bowl when you’re satisfied with the amount of smoke. Set the lighter aside or hold it in your hand. Stop inhaling, but don’t remove your mouth from the mouthpiece or the smoke in the smoke chamber will escape.
3 Pull the bowl out of the stem and inhale the smoke in the chamber. Use the same hand you used to light the bowl to pull the bowl out of the stem. When you’re inhaling the smoke, inhale deeply so it goes into your lungs.
If you can’t inhale the smoke in the chamber all at once, take your mouth off the mouthpiece and cover the mouthpiece with the palm of your hand so the smoke doesn’t escape. When you’re ready to inhale the rest of the smoke, remove your hand and quickly put your mouth back on the mouthpiece.
4 Hold the smoke in your lungs for a few seconds. Holding the smoke in for longer won't get you higher, and it could be worse for your health. Holding the smoke in for 1-2 seconds will be enough to get you high.
5 Exhale the smoke. Blow the smoke into the room or out a window. If you're smoking with other people, tilt your head back and blow the smoke up so you're not blowing it in their faces.
6 Place the bowl back on the stem. If you’re smoking alone, relight the bowl when you’re ready to take another hit. If you’re smoking with friends, pass the bong and lighter to the person next to you.
If you're all done with the bong, remove the bowl and pour out the water. Thoroughly rinse the bong and place it in a safe spot where it won't get damaged.[5]X Expert Source Aaron JustisCannabis ExpertExpert Interview
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Things You’ll Need
Bong
Water
Cannabis
Lighter
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about smoking, check out our in-depth interview with Aaron Justis.
References
↑ Aaron Justis. Cannabis Expert. Expert Interview
↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHPwYG7y1aw
↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EgS1mtbOT0
↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EgS1mtbOT0
↑ Aaron Justis. Cannabis Expert. Expert Interview
About This Article
Co-authored by: Aaron Justis Cannabis Expert This article was co-authored by Aaron Justis. Aaron Justis is a Cannabis Expert and the President of Buds & Roses dispensary based in Los Angeles, CA. Buds & Roses is a premier Los Angeles cannabis retailer serving customers and the LA community since 2006. Since 2010, Aaron and the Buds & Roses team have been the proud recipients of 26 High Times Medical Cannabis Cup awards, including multiple first-place victories, solidifying their reputation as a top provider of premium cannabis products. As a recognized thought leader in the cannabis industry, Aaron has played a pivotal advocacy role in the Cannabis community. His thought leadership has attracted attention from mainstream media, including features and profiles in notable outlets such as CNN and Variety. This article has been viewed 2,549,669 times. 80 votes - 95% Co-authors: 39Updated: June 5, 2025 Views: 2,549,669 Categories: Pipe SmokingArticle SummaryX
To smoke from a bong, first fill it with water no more than 1 inch above the tip of the long glass tube that sticks into the bong. After you’ve poured in the water, loosely pack the bong bowl with grinded cannabis. When you’re ready to smoke, put your mouth on the mouthpiece so that your lips are inside and there aren’t any gaps for smoke to escape. Using a lighter, burn the edge of the cannabis in the bowl and inhale slowly at the same time so you can draw the smoke up. When you’re good with the amount of smoke in the chamber, stop lighting, pull the bowl out of the stem, and deeply inhale the smoke in the chamber. After holding the smoke in your lungs for a few seconds, you can exhale. For more tips, including how to grind up your cannabis, read on!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Reader Success Stories
Jim Briggs
Jun 4, 2018
"I would like to thank you for the tutorial. Very clear diagrams and the instructions are not only easy to read but with the diagrams and instructions together on screen and visible together makes for easier understanding. "..." more
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Yes No Advertisement If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Aaron Justis Cannabis Expert Co-authors: 39Updated: June 5, 2025 Views: 2,549,66995% of readers found this article helpful. 80 votes - 95% Click a star to add your vote
Jim Briggs
Jun 4, 2018
"I would like to thank you for the tutorial. Very clear diagrams and the instructions are not only easy to read but with the diagrams and instructions together on screen and visible together makes for easier understanding. "..." more
Naomi Thomas
Jun 17, 2016
"I started by smoking joints, but now want to move on to smoking from a bong which hopefully will give me a quicker hit. I am grateful for explaining the technique so fully. Thank you."..." more
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Dec 21, 2021
"I am at a party, and don't wanna be embarrassed in front of my friends. I snuck to the bathroom and read this article. I am now a professional. Thanks wikiHow."..." more
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Apr 5, 2018
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Download Article Co-authored by Aaron Justis 
How toMake a Bong 
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Co-authored by: Aaron Justis Cannabis Expert This article was co-authored by Aaron Justis. Aaron Justis is a Cannabis Expert and the President of Buds & Roses dispensary based in Los Angeles, CA. Buds & Roses is a premier Los Angeles cannabis retailer serving customers and the LA community since 2006. Since 2010, Aaron and the Buds & Roses team have been the proud recipients of 26 High Times Medical Cannabis Cup awards, including multiple first-place victories, solidifying their reputation as a top provider of premium cannabis products. As a recognized thought leader in the cannabis industry, Aaron has played a pivotal advocacy role in the Cannabis community. His thought leadership has attracted attention from mainstream media, including features and profiles in notable outlets such as CNN and Variety. This article has been viewed 2,549,669 times. 80 votes - 95% Co-authors: 39 Updated: June 5, 2025 Views: 2,549,669 Categories: Pipe Smoking Article SummaryX
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1 Fill the bong with water. Bottled or tap water will work. The exact amount of water you should pour in will vary depending on the size of the bong you’re using. Fill up the bong so the water comes no more than 1 inch (2.54 cm) above the tip of the downstem (the long tube of glass that sticks into the bong). Any more water than that and you could get splashed while you’re smoking. 
2 Grind up your cannabis. Use your fingers, a pair of scissors, or a grinder.[1] Make sure it’s ground up finely. Break off a couple of larger pieces, about 0.5 cm (0.2 inches) long and wide, to pack at the bottom of the bong bowl. 
3 Pack the cannabis in the bong bowl. The bowl is a funnel-shaped piece that sits in the outside portion of the downstem. Take the large pieces of cannabis you set aside and pack them in the bowl first; these pieces will prevent the finely ground cannabis from getting sucked through the bowl as you're smoking. Then, pinch some of the ground cannabis between your fingers and drop it into the bowl. 
1 Get into a comfortable position with the bong. If you’re new to smoking bongs, take a seat near a table or stand so you can set the bong down if you start coughing. Sit near an open window if you don’t want the room to fill with smoke. 
2 Hold the bong with your non-dominant hand. Wrap your hand around the smoke chamber (the long section that connects the mouthpiece and the water chamber) or hold the bong from the bottom. Make sure you have a good grip before you light it.[3] 
3 Take a few deep breaths. Breathe using your diaphragm (the muscle below your lungs). Filling your body with oxygen will make it easier to inhale all the smoke from the bong, and you won't cough as much. 
4 Put your mouth on the mouthpiece. Your lips should be inside the mouthpiece and the rim of the mouthpiece should be pressed against the area around your mouth. Make sure there aren’t any gaps so the smoke doesn’t escape. 
5 Light the lighter with your free hand. Use a regular pocket lighter. Hold the lighter so it’s vertical and light it with your thumb. Keep your other fingers wrapped around the lighter so they don’t get burned. 
6 Tilt the lighter on its side and bring the flame to the bowl. Position the flame so you're only burning the edge of the cannabis in the bowl. This will help the cannabis in the bowl last longer. Hold the flame on the edge of the cannabis.[4] Advertisement 
1 Inhale slowly as you’re lighting the bowl. The smoke shouldn’t be going into your mouth or lungs at this point. You’re just using your inhale to draw the smoke up into the smoke chamber. As you’re inhaling, you should start to see the chamber getting cloudy as it fills with smoke. 
2 Stop lighting the bowl when you’re satisfied with the amount of smoke. Set the lighter aside or hold it in your hand. Stop inhaling, but don’t remove your mouth from the mouthpiece or the smoke in the smoke chamber will escape. 
3 Pull the bowl out of the stem and inhale the smoke in the chamber. Use the same hand you used to light the bowl to pull the bowl out of the stem. When you’re inhaling the smoke, inhale deeply so it goes into your lungs. 
4 Hold the smoke in your lungs for a few seconds. Holding the smoke in for longer won't get you higher, and it could be worse for your health. Holding the smoke in for 1-2 seconds will be enough to get you high. 
5 Exhale the smoke. Blow the smoke into the room or out a window. If you're smoking with other people, tilt your head back and blow the smoke up so you're not blowing it in their faces. 
6 Place the bowl back on the stem. If you’re smoking alone, relight the bowl when you’re ready to take another hit. If you’re smoking with friends, pass the bong and lighter to the person next to you. 
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