Marijuana or cannabis has been cultivated and consumed since ancient times. Shennong, the legendary Chinese God-Emperor, included cannabis in his pharmacopoeia. It is believed that this pharmacopoeia was compiled in the year 2737 BCE, which means that even long way back in history, cannabis sativa was appreciated as a medicinal plant.
In addition, cannabis sativa is mentioned by old Chinese pharmacologists as a substance that has spiritual and entheogenic properties.
Nonetheless, cannabis has been ostracized for a long time and its medical properties rejected for centuries. Mainly, because an absurd war on drugs that classified entheogenic substances such as marijuana in the same group as other drugs like cocaine or heroin (these two substances are not entheogenic).
This view on cannabis has recently changed and there are many ways to consume it such as, CBD and THC vape juice, oils, tinctures, edibles, creams and also medicines such as Epidiolex or THC antiemetic medicines.
THC has both medical and recreational uses. Moreover, there are many intake methods and THC vape juice is one of the quickest and effective ones (high bioavailability).
What is a Bong?
A bong is a device that filters the smoke coming from the plant material. There is one study that asserts that bongs have a lower bioavailability than vaporizers. According to this study, bongs filter out more psychoactive THC than vaporizers with THC vape juice. In other words, if you use a bong, you would have to use more cannabis and puff more times to reach the desired effect.
It is widely considered that bongs provide a “cleaner” smoke than joints and other combustion intake methods such as pipes.
In conclusion, bongs filter the smoke and it might also filter part of the psychoactive properties of cannabis. Nonetheless, more studies are needed to determine how much filtration is created in the water through a process known us percolation.
Cannabis Joints
Perhaps the most common way to consume cannabis and one of the cheapest methods. Its bioavailability is high and it provides very quick effects (depending on the person it might take 10 to 30 minutes to show its effects).
However, the combustion of plant material produces tar which is carcinogenic to humans (both bongs and joints produce tar).
On the other hand, a vaping device with THC vape juice will not produce any tar or other chemical compounds that are carcinogenic to humans.
Joints have a higher bioavailability than bongs, as cannabinoids are not filtered out. However, as it’s impossible to inhale all the smoke, many users think it’s less effective than other methods.
Recent studies prove that the bioavailability of joints is approx. 30%.
Pipes are similar to joints, but the user has more control of the combustion process.
Edibles
Cannabis brownies and cookies are also a very popular intake method. However, effects take longer time to appear as edibles are metabolized in the liver. On the other hand, when you smoke cannabis or you vape THC vape juice, the cannabinoids directly enter your bloodstream via your lungs and then it travels extremely fast to the brain.
Nonetheless, an edible high generally lasts much longer than smoking or vaping, from five to eight hours.
Vaping: THC Vape Juice
THC vaping is a very effective and fast intake method. Vaping is also absorbed through the lungs, and therefore, the user feels the effects very fast, the same as bongs or joints.
Vaping has many advantages and it’s a much safer option than smoking weed. Vaporizing a THC vape juice will not produce tar or other carcinogenic substances associated with the combustion of plant material.
Many studies state that vaping THC vape juices have even a higher bioavailability than smoking joints or using pipes. For example, vaporizers can reach a bioavailability of 50 to 80%. In other words, much higher than joints or bongs. In addition, it’s much safer!