# Question about scientific findings concerning...well....bongs. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 11, 2002, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-scientific-findings-concerning-well-bongs/103062 "2002-04-11T17:44:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![welby1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@welby1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/welby1)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-scientific-findings-concerning-well-bongs/103062/1 "2002-04-11T17:44:41Z")
I was tooling around some websites and found a link to one that sells bongs…er…water pipes. The site claims that up to 80% of tar and carcinogens are removed from the smoke when smoking from a bong. Upon visiting other sites, I have seen this same claim, though the percentage varies from 40% to 95%, depending on the site. What I want to know is this: Where do they get the data to make such a claim? Is it simply a marketing ploy to get people to buy something that they think is a safer alternative to cigarettes or regular pipes, or has there been an actual scientific study that has concluded that bong smoking is safer? Some of the other “advantages” touted on several sites that sell bongs claim that the smoke is cooled by the water and does less damage to the throat and lungs, less irritation to mucuous membranse in the lungs, etc. etc. Has the AMA been testing bong hits and failed to release the study, or what? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-scientific-findings-concerning-well-bongs/103062/2 "2002-04-11T18:02:07Z")
Are you sure that they are talking about bongs? I’ve never seen those claims made for bongs, but I have seen those claims for vapourizors. ---
**Author:** ![welby1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@welby1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/welby1)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-scientific-findings-concerning-well-bongs/103062/3 "2002-04-11T20:01:28Z")
Defnitely. The article said that the water filters out the tar etc., making for a safer, less cancerous smoke. ---
**Author:** ![Jimbrowski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9a140/32.png) [@Jimbrowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimbrowski)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-scientific-findings-concerning-well-bongs/103062/4 "2002-04-11T20:05:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by adam yax \* > \*\*Are you sure that they are talking about bongs? I’ve never seen those claims made for bongs, but I have seen those claims for vapourizors. \*\* You saw a vaporizer that claimed it removed carcinogens from smoke? Are you sure that _you_ are talking about bongs? ---
**Author:** ![kevals](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/fbc32d/32.png) [@kevals](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevals)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-scientific-findings-concerning-well-bongs/103062/5 "2002-04-11T20:27:59Z")
Well, I don’t really have any “Scientific” answers, but I have heard the same thing, basically that using a ‘bong’ or a device where the smoke would go through water rather that, say a cotton or fiberglass filter, is better. Water is supposedly a better filter than the abovementioned alternatives. Or none at all. I don’t know about carcinogens, but it supposedly does take some tar and such out. Oh, and it does wonders to cool those big hits:D ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-scientific-findings-concerning-well-bongs/103062/6 "2002-04-12T03:46:23Z")
Scientific answers…Started with Erowid, then Googled “carcinogens marijuana smoke water soluble.” [http://www.neurophys.wisc.edu/~cozzi/maps4-4-93.html](http://www.neurophys.wisc.edu/~cozzi/maps4-4-93.html) [http://www.whitman.edu/offices\_departments/biology/Stuproj/YoungB/physio.html](http://www.whitman.edu/offices_departments/biology/Stuproj/YoungB/physio.html) And, hey, here are the actual carcinogens. [http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/htdocs/8\_RoC/RAC/PAHs\_15.html](http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/htdocs/8_RoC/RAC/PAHs_15.html) ---
**Author:** ![welby1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@welby1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/welby1)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-scientific-findings-concerning-well-bongs/103062/7 "2002-04-12T15:09:59Z")
Thanks, this stuff will fill my reading hours tonight.