Though you can smoke cannabis any way you like, bongs prove to be the most effective and popular way of consuming cannabis. A marijuana pipe is referred to as a bong. It filters the smoke and cools it down, producing a clean-tasting, smooth smoking experience. Bongs function in a simple mechanism, smoke travels via the water filled chamber, the temperature of the smoke falls as it passes through the water. The fine particulate matter present inside the smoke like ash and tar, are also pulled out. 

Are you new to the world of smoking cannabis? Then the different parts of a bong and how they function can feel a bit confusing. Here are the basic components of a bong and how they function.

A bowl-shaped, spherical stem attachment to pack your choice of dry herb and ignite it. 

Carb stands for carburetor. This is the hole that lets the bowl slide in and out. A carb hole enables the smoke to clear from a bong's chamber and completes the hit. The bong you have or buy will either have a slide or pull carb. 

Downstem is a small tube that allows the smoke to travel from the bowl towards the base to percolate. The smoke cools down as it passes through the water. 

The bottom of your bong is called the base. It serves the purpose of water chamber. 

The secondary chamber present in the bong is called the tube. This chamber is filled with cooled, filtered smoke before you can inhale. 

The different kinds of bongs available in the market feature some extraordinary features like an ice pinch, ash catcher , extra percolator, and so on. Your preferences will determine the bong you purchase. 

Before we jump to 'how to hit a bong', let's see what is needed to smoke one.

The world of cannabis is incomplete without the use of bongs. If you want to have the ultimate cannabis smoking sessions learning how to use a bong is an absolute must. Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to use a bong. 

Your bong has to be ready before anything else. Check whether or not your bowl is sliding smoothly in and out, insert the downstem, and clear the ash, if any. Pour water inside the water chamber. The water will travel through the mouthpiece, it is a large opening present at the top of the bong. You have to pour enough water inside the chamber to submerge the downstem. Don't overdo it. If your bong comes with an ice catcher make sure it's in the right place. 

Use a grinder to get this done to enjoy an uniform grind. You've to place a bud (choose medium-sized) into the grinder , the part that has the grinding teeth. Place the cap back on and twist it in back and forth motion, your weed will be ground and ready for use. 

You can even break down the cannabis bud with a pair of scissors or your fingers. Regardles of the method you pick make sure there aren't any chunks. You need the grind to be of uniform size. 

Using your fingertips pick a pinch of ground cannabis and carefully place it into the bowl of the bong. Gently flatten the cannabis into the bowl using the end of your lighter of your finger. Make sure to never pack the bowl with too much cannabis otherwise the airflow will be restricted. Once you've filled the bowl with enough cannabis slide it into the downstem. 

You're now all set to smoke a bong. Using a hemp wick or lighter, ignite the bowl. Place your mouth on the mouthpiece as you light the bowl and begin drawing the smoke through your lungs. Don't rush, give it a smooth yet steady drag and watch the smoke spiral from the bowl into the downstem creating bubbles in the water chamber. 

Once the chamber fills with smoke, you're all set for a hit. Slide your bowl into the downstem for the chamber to clear. Your lungs have to continuously pull the smoke. When the bowl is removed, the flow of air is opened and smoke travels through the bong into the mouthpiece and directly into your lungs. 

The thing about bongs is it can become messy, smelly, dirty, and covered in sticky resin. You need to clean your bong after every session for it to be in optimum condition. 

Start by emptying the ash from the bowl. Place the bowl in a ziplock plastic bag, add some bong cleaning solution in it and shake it very gently, now use your hands and scrub the bowl. Rinse the bowl in clean water afterwards. 

Follow the same cleaning procedure for your downstem. Pour out the water from the water chamber. Add in a cleaning solution into your bong, using rubber stoppers close all the openings and give it a good shake. When your bong is clean, throw out the solution, rinse it with clean water.