Vape Bongs: Can You Use a Vaporizer with a Bong?

The amount of people vaping dry herb and concentrated oil cannabis has seen a steady increase as legalization continues to spread around the world. Vaping has its lingering concerns, but research so far suggests that it provides a smaller risk profile compared to other combustible smoking methods like joints or bongs.¹ 

Many want to consume the safest way possible, but they also enjoy the rapid onset of effects and discreetness of smoking from a vape. Thankfully, a new item has emerged, providing consumers a way to use their bong without taking in all that hot smoke – the vape bong.

What is a Vape Bong?

A vape bong is an innovative combination of traditional bongs and vapes. It can be handheld or tabletop and utilize dry flower, concentrated oil, or both. 

The setup is similar to a glass bong, except the traditional bowl connected to the joint opening is replaced with an adapter. When completed with the needed parts, it’ll essentially be a vape water pen or cart bong. 

Once your preferred device is connected to the bong, using it will be similar to smoking from a traditional bong. The consumer will inhale from the bong's neck, pulling air in, and the device will pass hot air over dry cannabis flower or oil from a cartridge, creating an aerosol vapor. The vapor passes through the bong water, cooling the hit before it reaches your lungs, creating a smoother hit.²

The VapBong by Jaxel's Art is an example of vape bongs coming further together. Their ceramic device creates an all-in-one water pipe and dry herb vape. 

Other innovative devices are also raising the vaping game. Ball vapes enhance heating using tiny spheres made from various materials like rubies, sapphires, or quartz to add mass and produce additional airways. The end result is a more evenly distributed heat and more efficient vaporization process.

What are the Benefits of a Vaporizer Bong?

Smoking is the classic cannabis consumption method, but vaping has gained considerable ground in recent years. Early research suggests vaping can be less harmful than smoking from joints or pipes, so switching to a vape bong may provide a different experience with a smoother, less harsh hit. It may even remind you of the first time you smoked from a bong, save for the toxins and possibly abrasive hit.

Some of the reported benefits of vaping and using a vape bong include:

Health Benefits

Vaping reduces exposure to the harmful effects of combustion by-products produced when the plant is burned. Concerns about vaping remain, including uncertain long-term cardiovascular impacts. However, eliminating combustion from your consumption may reduce the risk of adverse respiratory health and lung function compared to traditional smoking.³

Efficiency and Bioavailability

Vaping delivers higher levels of plant compounds like THC compared to traditional dry flower smoking via methods like joints. This effect is due to the minimal loss of the cannabinoid when vaporized rather than combusted. The retained THC and other compounds enhance each pull's overall potency and effects while providing more consistency with each hit.⁴ 

Cooler Hits

Using a vape bong cools the smoke entering the lungs, producing a smoother inhalation on the throat. Be aware that water levels play an essential role in the experience. Under- or overfilling a vape bong, like traditional bongs, is a concern. 

Filtering Micro Particles

It’s far less common than smoking, but vaping can release microparticles and plant material. Filtering hits through a bong’s water reduces the chances of these particles reaching the mouth, resulting in a cleaner, more enjoyable hit.

What are the Risks of a Vape Bong?

Vaping and using a vaporizer bong are a more mild choice than smoking. However, uncertainties remain, with some potential risks being identified:³

Increased THC Levels 

Vaping delivers increased THC levels to the blood, leading to increased effects that may overwhelm some.

Cognitive and Psychomotor Impairment

Compared to smoking, some research suggests that vaping can lead to increased cognitive and psychomotor declines. This effect seems to wane in high-frequency users, possibly due to their chronic exposure.

Paranoia   

Increased rates of paranoia have also been reported in select vape studies. Some concern is focused on infrequent consumers who may not be used to the effects of high potency consumption that vaping provides. 

Device Safety   

While cannabis is becoming increasingly regulated, some devices and products continue to raise safety concerns regarding ingredient standards, dosage, and overall quality. Consumers should stick to buying products from licensed operators to minimize risks from subpar devices or vape products.

How to Use a Vape Bong

Weed vaporizer bongs function a bit differently depending on the brand and design. Whether a dry flower or a vape cart is chosen, the concept of most vape bongs is similar to traditional bong smoking. Users place their mouth over the neck’s opening and inhale. 

The standard process is as follows.

1. Place the bong on a flat surface, remove any bowl from the joint, and fill it with adequate water.
2. Place the adapter onto or in the joint opening. If using a vart cart, place the cart into the adapter.
3. Place your mouth over the neck opening. Inhale when ready.
4. Dry flower vaporizers sometimes use a tube, connecting one end over the joint opening and the other on the vape’s mouthpiece, forming a connection between the devices. However, glass mouthpieces are also available to use.

Several variations of vape bong devices are available for purchase online or at a local smoke shop. The process of smoking may vary depending on the specific brand and style of device used.

Cleaning and Maintaining Your Vaporizer Bong

Cleaning a vape bong is similar to cleaning a traditional bong, with a few added steps. In addition to the water pipe, keeping the vape cart or dry flower vape and the adapter clean is best. Remember that certain products, like the Vapbong, may encourage using water over standard cleaning solvents. 

There's no clear-cut timeframe, but the more often you use a bong, the more often it should be cleaned. It’s best practice to clean a bong vape device after every use, but this frequency is not always sustainable for consumers. A vape bong should be cleaned more often than not.

The device won't be subjected to typical contaminant levels when using a vape bong. However, vaping still has microparticles that users can become exposed to, so it’s important to keep your device clean. 

Otherwise, you risk the device malfunctioning or your health potentially being affected. Various health concerns when inhaling harmful microparticles are: 

• Pneumonia
• Sepsis
• E. coli and other adverse outcomes
• Increased coughing risks and other lung issues

What to Look for When Buying a Vape Bong

Cannabis vaporizers and cart bongs come in various forms. It’s likely consumers will continue to see more variations as their popularity increases. When buying pieces for a vape bong, consider the following:

• Compatibility with your bong and vape (Size, device specs, etc.)
• Materials used (look for borosilicate and quartz glass or medical-grade silicone)
• Size, portability, and discretion
• Ease of maintenance
• Price
• Customer reviews
• Business license and/or lab tests to verify device safety and functionality

Best Weed Vaporizer Bong

Vape bong options are growing, giving consumers more than a few options to choose from. Three of the leading devices include:

1. VapBong by Jaxel's Art: Ceramic pieces of art you can vape from--what's not to love about that? 
2. Flowerpot: Versatile collection of vape hardware with customizable features.
3. Vapvanna Screwball Starter Kit: Provides beginners with everything they need to use a ball vape.

References

1. Morgan J, Gschwend G, Houston M, Jones A, Kelso C. Vaping preferences of individuals who vaporise dry herb cannabis, cannabis liquids and cannabis concentrates. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2022;240:109632. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109632 ↩︎
2. Meehan-Atrash J, Rahman I. Cannabis Vaping: Existing and Emerging Modalities, Chemistry, and Pulmonary Toxicology. Chem Res Toxicol. 2021;34(10):2169-2179. doi:10.1021/acs.chemrestox.1c00290 ↩︎
3. Chaiton M, Kundu A, Rueda S, Di Ciano P. Are vaporizers a lower-risk alternative to smoking cannabis?. Can J Public Health. 2022;113(2):293-296. doi:10.17269/s41997-021-00565-w ↩︎
4. Spindle TR, Cone EJ, Schlienz NJ, et al. Acute Effects of Smoked and Vaporized Cannabis in Healthy Adults Who Infrequently Use Cannabis: A Crossover Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2018;1(7):e184841. Published 2018 Nov 2. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.4841 ↩︎

The information in this article and any included images or charts are for educational purposes only. This information is neither a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional legal advice or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about laws, regulations, or your health, you should always consult with an attorney, physician or other licensed professional.