# How does a bong work?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-bong-work/59752>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 28, 2001, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-bong-work/59752 "2001-03-28T00:17:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2001, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-bong-work/59752/1 "2001-03-28T00:17:24Z")

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Having never seen one up close, I don’t know exactly what it does. What, exactly, does a bong consist of? And what is the advantage of using a bong vs. smoking a joint? (I know what a joint is 🙂 ) And what is the water for?

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**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2001, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-bong-work/59752/2 "2001-03-28T00:28:45Z")

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Are you and “ **Alias** ” teaming up to drive **manhattan** stark staring bonkers? After the other bong thread this afternoon it looked like he was buggin’ out, poor guy.

Yeah, **friedo** , like we’re really supposed to believe you don’t know this already and you’re not just pretending ignorance and posting drug paraphernalia questions here just to get **manhattan** ’s goat.

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**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2001, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-bong-work/59752/3 "2001-03-28T01:01:38Z")

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Uh, **Jomo** , let me make this really, really clear to you.

1. I don’t know who **Alias** is.

2. I never saw any prior bong thread. Admittedly, I neglected to search before asking this question.

3. I have never used marijuana. Therefore, I am quite ignorant about it. This is the place where people go to learn things.

4. Don’t ever accuse me of trolling or posting things just to piss off the mods. I don’t appreciate the accusation. If you don’t have any useful information to add to this thread, shut the hell up.

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**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2001, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-bong-work/59752/4 "2001-03-28T01:10:43Z")

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**friedo** , your high post count bears witness that you’ve been around enough to know that **manhattan** hates druggie threads in GP with a passion. So you shut the hell up.

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**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2001, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-bong-work/59752/5 "2001-03-28T01:11:41Z")

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Howdy all!

We’re a little sensitive about illicit drug use questions around here as most of you know. I’m quite sure there are lots of other places on the net (or on your street corner or local head shop) that can help you with your bong questions. Also this:

[[4. Don’t ever accuse me of trolling or posting things just to piss off the mods. I don’t appreciate the accusation. If you don’t have any useful information to add to this thread, shut the hell up.]]

is sounding Pittish, so I’m just gonna close this thread as my first moderator action in GQ… - Jill