Drinking Bong Water and the Dangers to Your Health
(Learn Why Bong Water Carries Harmful Toxins You Should Avoid)
Many urban legends are circling around, one of them being that drinking bong water might make you high.
And look, I get it. We’ve all been there; you’re high as a kite, and you may think, “I bet if I drink that I’ll get higher”.
Even though there is a moderate amount of THC left in the water of your bong, you may want to read this article before you decide to start drinking bong water.
In this article we will discuss whether or not it’s dangerous to drink bong water, whether you should avoid drinking bong water (don’t drink it), all while answering the popular myth – does drinking bong water even get you high?
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Does Drinking Bong Water Get You High?
So is there THC in bong water, and more importantly, for every stoner does drinking bong water get you high?
Because why else would we drink that nasty water Drinking bong water is, honestly, not a very smart move.
One might assume that since smoke passes through the water when you’re smoking, water contains some amounts of THC that could get you stoned. However, that theory has been scientifically proven to be just an urban myth.
Not only will you not get stoned drinking the bong water, but you might also seriously hurt yourself. Basically, bong water is a filtration medium and serves as a filter to protect you from harmful additives or chemicals in your weed.
There is a bunch of nasty stuff filtered out of the smoke as you take a drag.
That is what is giving you a smooth, nice-tasting cannabis experience. Trust me, all those impurities are not something you want to get into your system.
If you are trying to keep that bong water ultra-clear we do suggest using an ash catcher, but even if the water is clear you are going to want to give up on the idea of drinking any water used as a filtration medium.
Let’s break down the details on why you shouldn’t drink bong water.
Drinking the Bong Water Provides No Psychoactive Effects
So does drinking bong water get you high, you probably figured out by now it doesn’t!
You are not the first to think that since THC is constantly passing through the water in the bong, you could get stoned by ingesting traces of THC still left in it.
Actually, there is exactly a 100 percent chance you will not get baked from drinking bong water no matter your pure stoner intentions, as there is not enough THC within the water for you to feel the effects. And the amount of THC that is present, is highly diluted and mixed in with many other damaging particles.
Also, neither THC or CBD are water-soluble, so there is no way to get baked drinking bong water.
Bong water is usually exposed to light, which does a great job in degrading cannabinoids like THC and CBD. In fact, the tiny amount that stays present in the water is heavily diluted and mixed with many harmful toxins and components.
It doesn’t matter if it’s water that comes from a water pipe, dab rig, bubbler, or a hammer bubbler, all water used as a filtration medium provides no psychoactive effects.
Drinking Bong Water to Get High is a Myth
Humans are curious creatures. And fortunately so, because now we know that the idea of drinking bong water to get high is never a good idea.
That said, you should be aware that there is no actual data nor proof that drinking bong water gets you stoned.
Let’s say that you would need 5mg of THC to get that psychoactive effect we all know and love. There are 1000 micrograms of THC per mg, which means you would have to take 5000 micrograms to get baked. Calculated, this means you would have to drink 2.5 liters of bong water to get high. Gross!
We haven’t even got into all the potentially damaging effects of drinking bong water. Keep reading to learn more!
What Happens If You Drink Bong Water - 3 Threatening Health Concerns
The Effects of Drinking Bong Water Can Jeopardize Your Lung Health
So, no, drinking bong water will not get you high, but other adverse effects could make you seriously sick. And that’s no wonder, since bong water typically contains impurities such as ash, resin, loose-leaf/crumbs. In addition, that yucky water may also have mold, fungi, yeast, and other harmful microorganisms you do not want to let into your system.
Simply put, there are many seriously damaging substances lurking in that bong water that could irritate your immune system and make you really sick. So let me share three critical facts about what might happen to you should you decide to drink that bong water after all. I am optimistic you will change your mind after you find out, though.
Drinking bong water is as bad an idea as reusing it, especially if a cloudy top layer is forming in your device. This murky biofilm might contain dangerous pathogens such as E. Coli, Strep, and black mildew.
You could quickly end up nauseous, vomiting, and dizzy. Therefore, cleaning your bong is a must since all the bacteria present in the bong water could get into your lungs and create an infection. In addition, the harmful pathogens that flourish in your bong water might cause serious health issues such as strep throat, pneumonia, and emphysema.
Flavobacterium is another pathogen that likes to thrive in stagnant water and can cause severe respiratory infections. That is not something you want to introduce to your lungs, so change the water, clean your precious bong accordingly, and of course, steer clear from ingesting any amount of bong water. Moreover, there is also pseudomonas aeruginosa, a type of bacteria that thrives in bong water and puts you at serious risk of developing instant pneumonia.
Drinking Bong Water Can Cause Stomach Complications and Severe Headaches
As already said, an unkept bong water pipe makes an ideal home and breeding ground for many kinds of dangerous pathogens like bacteria, fungi, and mold. In addition to serious respiratory infections, drinking dirty bong water might make you feel light-headed and dizzy, following severe headaches that could turn into a head-splitting migraine.
Nasty mold spores might even cause general malaise, blurred vision, dizziness, allergic reactions. Also, there might be a parasite in your dirty bong water called Giardia lamblia. This one is pretty serious since it can cause intestinal problems such as nausea, diarrhea, cramps, and gas. But unfortunately, there is more.
Did you know that hepatitis A also lives in stagnant, impure water? This virus causes a severe infection that can lead to jaundice, dark urine, stomach pain, fever, chills, and nausea. So, I implore you – don’t drink bong water!
Drinking Bong Water Can Induce Vomiting
Stagnant water is an ideal breeding ground for harmful bacteria and other nasty things that could damage your lungs and throat. So, if you decide to drink your dirty bong water, you could easily disrupt your stomach lining and digestive system. This could lead to intense vomiting. And you don’t need to even drink an excessive amount of the water; even a tiny amount is enough for you to get an extremely painful urge to purge.
The effect of drinking dirty bong water is similar to food poisoning. In case you weren’t aware, mold takes a mere 24 hours to appear in your bong. So even if you somehow escape it, the taste and smell of that disgusting water might make you projectile puke, literally.
Also, vomiting from bong water might result in hurting your lungs and throat twice as much.
What is in Bong Water?
A lovely quality bong is something every enthusiastic cannabis user keeps in their home. It filters the smoke nicely and cools it so you can enjoy a smooth drag and a perfect high. However, while filtration cleanses the smoke, the residue can have very nasty side effects if ingested which is what happens if you drink bong water.
Besides the desirable substances, such as cannabinoids, bong water contains harmful and toxic particles. Along with residual herb, just like water in a puddle, stagnant bong water is packed with all kinds of harmful bacteria, microbes, yeast, and fungi. The gross fact is these can literally accumulate within a matter of hours. Dangerous tiny creatures can take many shapes and forms and can have adverse side effects on your body, so if you’re looking to steer clear of any complications, don’t drink the bong water.
If you decide to drink your bong water after all, this is what you will welcome into your body.
So Can You Get High Drinking Bong Water?
Now that you’ve learned about all the dangers that lurk in that dirty bong water, I am optimistic you will not listen to the advice from the dude that swears by his life he got high as a kite drinking bong water. No human can get high drinking bong water; it is a bad, bad idea that could get you into serious trouble. Vomiting, pneumonia, dizziness, and severe headaches are just a few of the side effects one could experience if they decide to drink that disgusting water infested biofilm. Moreover, you could develop instant pneumonia.
Not only should you never, ever drink bong water, but a clean bong should also be a crucial part of your every bong experience. I cannot stress this enough.
My advice? Clean your bong regularly, with care and patience. You can use regular kitchen items such as rubbing alcohol, sea salt, and plain towels. Make sure to use fresh water each time you’re smoking. That way, you will have a smoother and healthier experience and keep your precious apparatus last way longer. If you’re looking to get high or higher than you already are, I suggest smoking more weed over ever drinking bong water.
