From the beginning of time, the consumption of cannabis has primarily relied on combustion. Of course, these methods have evolved, but the principles are the same. Many smokers prefer using pipes and water pipes, while others prefer rolling papers or blunt wraps. Ultimately, personal preference determines your choice of consumption. However, each has its fair share of pros and cons that form a consumer’s opinion.
For new cannabis consumers, it might seem confusing to differentiate. After all, what’s the difference between a joint and a blunt? At the same time, some might try to compare the benefits and disadvantages between using a bong to a pipe. In essence, joints and blunts share commonalities like bongs and pipes. However, the overall experience isn’t necessarily similar across the board. For example, pipes and bongs share the aspect of sharing bowls and burning cannabis without any excess paper or chemicals. The difference in smoking weed between a pipe and a bong truly boils down to the quality of the smoke.
As for bongs and joints, they both smoke similarly to a cigarette or a cigar, but they are also fundamentally different. Joints use paper — often made from hemp or other plant derivatives — and blunts use the leaf from an emptied tobacco cigar. Some have long wondered if bongs are bad, mainly because of the amount of smoke that hits the lungs.
Below, we’ve gone into further detail surrounding the pros and cons of bongs vs. bowls vs. joints vs. blunts.
Joints vs. Bong
Besides getting you stoned, there are a few similarities between joints and bongs. Though they’re often considered a “healthier” solution by members of the cannabis communities, they aren’t entirely without their faults. However, they provide smokers easy ways to consume cannabis with little to no additives.
A joint is a marijuana cigarette prepared with a filter. Companies create joint papers with natural fibers from plants like hemp and flax. A joint is incredibly portable and cost-efficient because papers cost mere pennies. A pack of 100 leaves will only go for a few dollars.
Bongs, on the other hand, save smokers costs in the long run. The bong is a water pipe with a bowl where you pack your weed.
So, Are Bongs Healthy?
By comparison, bongs are better at eliminating impurities from the smoke due to the water. In some ways, it’s also the easiest way to smoke weed since it requires no skill, like rolling and is straightforward. All that’s necessary: packing the bowl and a lighter to combust the flower. From there, smokers get a robust and smooth hit, thanks to the water and percolators that cleanse the smoke.
Are Bongs Healthier Than Joints?
The answer is yes, but that’s because of the elimination of burning paper. Plus, there’s better filtration with a bong than with joint filters.
Pipes
Pipes act as a middle ground between joints and bongs. Since there isn’t any water, you’re inhaling pure smoke without anything to separate the impurities. However, they are an excellent option for understanding terpenes and flavor profiles with each hit. At the same time, some bubblers carry similarities to pipes and bongs.
Is Smoking A Bong Better Than A Bowl?
It depends on the product you are using and whether the filtration systems can level up to each other, whether in the form of percolators or water use.
Blunts
Joints are the equivalent of the tobacco industry’s cigarettes but blunts bear similarities to a cigar. Tobacco products create blunts — cheap cigars or cigarillos that can be easily broken down and rewrapped with weed. Though it remains a popular option among smokers, it isn’t healthy since it uses tobacco products. Of course, over time, some innovations to blunt wraps have created a market of vegan and tobacco-free products — typically made from hemp.
If you’ve ever sat in a debate surrounding bong vs. blunts, you know that avid smokers are fans of these two options. After all, they provide a more potent hit, leading to better highs. However, when it comes to clean hits, bongs still trumps blunts because there aren’t any tobacco products burning alongside the weed.
