Bongs

A bong, also commonly known as a water pipe, is a smoking device, generally used to smoke cannabis, tobacco, or other substances.The construction of a bong and its principle of action is similar to that of the shisha, which is also called "water pipe". Smoking a bong contrasts with smoking a pipe or cigarette in two major ways: bongs cool the smoke before it enters the user’s lungs (making it easier to smoke), and a large amount of smoke is inhaled quickly as opposed to the smaller, more frequent, inhalations of pipe and cigarette smoking.

How a bong is used
The base of the bong is filled with water. Sometimes other liquids/beverages are used, although alcohol and oils filter out some THC when used for smoking marijuana, because THC is fat-soluble and, to a lesser extent, alcohol-soluble. THC is not water-soluble, which makes water the ideal fluid for filling a bong. The substance to be smoked is packed into the bowl and ignited. The user places his/her lips inside the mouth piece, forming a seal, and inhales, causing the flame to be drawn toward the substance. An inhalation is known as a "hit", "pull" or "rip." If the smoker is using a larger bong, with a larger bowl the first hit contains little or no smoke; its purpose is to draw the clean air out of the chamber and to start drawing in smoke from the bowl. When the user feels that they have inhaled a satisfactory amount of smoke, they can pull the bowl out of the bong or release their finger from the carb to introduce "clean" air. This is known as "clearing" or "pulling the slide." If a smaller bong is being used, the hit should consume all of the smoke.

Variations
Ice bong
A bong with dimples to hold ice in the upper chamber.

One of the most commonvarieties is the ice bong, which is a sub variety of a slide or carburetor bong. These are typically made of glass or acrylic. Ice is placed in a twist or ice trap in the neck. This has the effect of cooling the smoke when the user comes to inhaling. These bongs are typically bright colors and are popular due to the durability, ease of use, and controllability. They usually have carburetor holes on the opposite side to the bowl or slightly to the left or right of that position. These tend to have larger chambers than other bong varieties, as ice is used rarely in smaller bongs.

Bubbler
A bubbler is a small bong where the stem is internal and the bowl is at the very top. A majority of the bong is enclosed with only a hole in the side to act as the carburetor and the hole the smoke will exit on its way to the user. These operate very much like a pipe since their internal chamber is so small but they have identical parts to a common bong. They are considered more pleasant to smoke out of than a regular pipe because the smoke is cooled through the water. They also do not produce the characteristic "chugging" sound of bongs when the smoke is inhaled, which makes them quieter and more desirable for those who need to conceal their use. Most bubblers are also a lot smaller than standard sized bongs so they are easier to conceal.