Bubblers, Bongs, Rigs, or Blunts? Why <em>How</em> You Smoke Matters

Bubblers, bongs, rigs, and blunts are all paths consumers take to enjoy quality cannabis. One may be your preferred mode of appreciating da kine. But your neighbor may have another tried and true route to achieving an elevated state. Aside from the standard joint and the ease of edibles, these four novel methods blend ancient practices with modern technology to produce a smoother inhale, a calmer exhale, and a quicker ascent to bliss. 

From pre-rolls to hand-picked flower to curated concentrates, CannaCulture has a premier selection of cannabis in California. Our products are always the life of the party, the guide to a night of deeper sleep, or the perfect complement to a morning cup of coffee. With a wide selection of products, we can help anyone reach their preferred level of high. For all those who roll blunts, pack bowls, heat nails, and enjoy the benefits of cannabis smoking, we have just the flower or concentrate for you. Because at CannaCulture, we know that how you smoke matters.

The Evolution of Smoking Cannabis 

When you walk into a smoke shop and see the wall of decadent glassware and canisters of flower, the history of this art may not be your first thought. We all know that cannabis has been smoked since well before the Common Era – and just not out of glass-blown instruments. Much like you, ancient cannabis enthusiasts evolved their consumption methods over time in pursuit of the smoothest ride. 

From the earliest known evidence of cannabis in Central Asia around 2700 BCE,^[1] the plant found new climates and novel uses as it was ushered down the Silk Road. One of these uses was its integration into the water pipe. A majority of historians point to Persia as the birthplace of the water pipe^[2] where people began packing water pipes with tobacco. But as cannabis made its stops along the Silk Road, dried buds were not only gradually added to the bowl but also wrapped in tobacco leaves. As the structure of water pipes changed over the millennia, smoking cannabis became smoother and the water filtration allowed for a cleaner pull. Then, as hemp and tobacco made their way to the New World and beyond, buds contained in a flammable wrapping such as in joints and blunts stood the test of time, remaining staples in cannabis culture. 

Why How You Smoke Matters

Ask any seasoned cannabis consumer and they’ll tell you: the way you smoke seriously affects your experience. With the contents of your bowl and the method of consumption, your high changes based on these three other factors: 

Temperature

Rigs, bongs, bubblers, and blunts all heat cannabis to different temperatures. Higher temperatures activate aromatic terpenes, triggering their effects. Heating cannabis transforms THCA into the active molecule THC under different temperatures at different durations. At 212°F, it takes three hours to convert THCA to THC. At 320°F, it takes only 10 minutes. And at around 400°F, THCA converts almost instantly.^[3] 400°F is enough to activate the most common terpenes like myrcene (most abundant), ocimene (sweet & earthy), and limonene (citrusy, found in Blue Dream). If the temperature isn’t hot enough, the terpenes aren’t activated. But if it gets too hot, they evaporate and lose their aromatic and psychoactive effects. 

Desired Experience 

While flower ignites with the help of a basic lighter, other products like concentrates need higher, more controlled temperatures. Dabbing is a popular form of consumption and requires a rig, blow torch, and your choice of concentrate. Concentrates are made by processing marijuana buds with a solvent, and then purging the product in a vacuum or in an oven.^[4] In the oven, concentrates are kept under cannabis’s boiling point to preserve the transfer from THCA to THC. This process produces sticky, waxy products like hash, butter, and live resin. Smoked between 400°F to 600°F+, concentrates vaporize instantly, activating every terpene along the way. Because concentrates are denser in THC, they produce a stronger, more potent experience. For those who want to stay in the clouds and not go to space, control the temperature so less of the concentrate is used. 

Ease of Use

Smoking a blunt can be done easily on the go – doing dabs, however, not so much. Take it from experts, set and setting is almost half the experience. So, enjoying your cannabis in a place you’re comfortable is important. This may mean you need something small to travel with or prefer packing a bowl in the comfort of your own home. Consider how portable you want your experience to be and who you plan to share it with when choosing your method. 

The Bong

Those who have smoked a bong swear they lead to a stronger, cleaner experience. But why? As opposed to a joint, a bong creates purer, untainted smoke straight from the plant, filtered through the liquid of your choice. This means fewer non-cannabis particles are clouding your smoke, producing a stronger high and fragrant aromatic experience. Also, when pulling from a bong, your mouth is wider, so you inhale much more than you would normally from a joint. With purer smoke packed tightly in your lungs, a bong delivers a higher high quicker, and cleaner than other methods. 

Advantages

• Clean high
• Strong high
• Smoother hit
• Easy to prepare

Limitations

• Needs to be cleaned often
• Difficult to travel with
• Most are fragile
• Awkward to use

The Rig

To enjoy the ride that concentrates offer, you will need a rig. Instead of a bowl, a rig has what’s called a nail or banger that you heat to the appropriate temperature with a blow torch. Apply the wax onto the heated nail and inhale the vaporous terpenes and cannabinoids. As the name implies, concentrates are more concentrated with THC, so the experience will be stronger and onset quicker than other methods.

Advantages

• Quicker high
• Stronger high
• Achieve the same results by smoking less
• Better terpene profile

Limitations

• Not for beginners
• More technical
• Need accurate temperature
• More specialty equipment

The Bubbler

Think of a bubbler as a mini bong. The mouthpiece and bowl are smaller than a normal bong, so less smoke is inhaled. This leads to a more controllable high. A bubbler uses the same water filtration method to purify the smoke but in a more manageable, hand-held size. Like bongs and pipes, bubblers have carbs to trap and control the flow of air. Some have bowls that you can pull to control the amount of smoke inhaled. Others are similar to pipes and have a fixed bowl. With all their intricate designs and shapes, bubblers are perfect for those who want a fun and convenient way to enjoy the gentle waves or soft static of a cannabis experience. 

Advantages

• Creative designs
• Water filtration
• Controllable high
• Portable 

Limitations

• Most are easily breakable
• Need to be cleaned often
• Requires repeated packing for those with higher tolerances

The Blunt

While a classic, DIY blunts can be rolled in tobacco wraps, most quality dispensaries sell blunts wrapped in all-natural hemp leaves for a healthier, less carcinogenic product. A blunt is a bigger, sturdier joint that packs more cannabis and richer flavors. People turn to blunts for that classic smoking experience. No frills. No intricacies. Just pure cannabis in every puff. 

Advantages

• Very portable
• Bigger and sturdier than joints
• Easy to share
• Efficient

Limitations

• Those that include nicotine are addictive
• Take a while to smoke
• Require a large amount of flower
• Wraps may contain chemicals if flavored tobacco 

Decisions to Make At Canna Culture

Whether you enjoy one of these methods or all of them, Canna Culture has the products to make your experience just right. From flower to concentrates to gear, we have all the essentials for your next office party, hangout with friends, or sleepless night. 

Choice Flower

When choosing the right flower for your bong, bubbler, or blunt, think about what experience you want. When choosing between an indica, sativa, or hybrid, you also need to take into consideration the THC percentage. If you’re newer to the herb, we recommend sticking to strains relatively lower. If you have a high tolerance, well, just keep doing your thing. Some choice strains we have for your next bong, bubbler, or blunt experience are:

• Wedding Cake: this indica is high in THC and produces calming euphoric effects as well as waves of body relaxation. 
• Purple Trainwreck: this sativa-dominant strain quickly lifts moods for a long-lasting creative high that gently leads to a sleepy euphoric state later on. 

Collected Concentrates

We have an assortment of concentrates made from your favorite strains. We carefully curate our offerings and offer the highest quality extracts in the state. Some crowd-pleasers include:

• Blue Dream: this sativa dominant strain has long been popular amongst novice and seasoned dabbers. Its euphoric beginnings take you to a steady buzz full of creativity and a relaxed focus. 
• Cherry Bomb: this potent hybrid starts with soft, electric body tingles that morph into a cerebral, concentrated high. 

Your VIP Experience

If you’re new to our dispensary, be sure to check out our VIP rewards. Perks of being a VIP member include:

• 2% Back For Every Dollar Spent Before Tax
• Bring Friends Or Family And Get A Pre-roll For Less Than $2
• Be The First To Get Notified About Our Demo Days With BOGOs

References

1. Pain, S. A potted history. Nature 525, S10–S11 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/525S10a
2. Goodman, Jordan. Tobacco in History : The Cultures of Dependence. Routledge, 1993, p. 86.
3. Iffland, Kerstin, et al. Decarboxylation of Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid (THCA) to Active THC Motivation and Summary. 2016. eiha.org/media/2014/08/16-10-25-Decarboxylation-of-THCA-to-active-THC.pdf
4. “Toxicant Formation in Dabbing: The Terpene Story.” ACS Publications, 2017, pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.7b01130