The Side Effects of Bong Smoking on Health and Air Quality
Hit the bong at your own risk. That’s the message from scientists in a research letter.
Cannabis is often perceived as a safer alternative to tobacco, yet the method of consumption plays a critical role in determining potential health outcomes. One practice of concern is bong smoking, which involves filtering cannabis smoke through water before inhalation. While some users believe this method reduces harm, scientific research demonstrates that bong smoke can significantly compromise indoor air quality and contribute to adverse health effects. This article explores the side effects of bong smoking, with a focus on particulate matter (PM) exposure, chemical composition of cannabis smoke and associated health risks.
What is particulate matter?
Particulate matter (PM) refers to microscopic solid and liquid particles suspended in the air, measured in micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³). Fine particulate matter, commonly designated as PM2.5, is especially hazardous because particles are small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. Elevated PM levels are linked to respiratory diseases, cardiovascular complications and increased mortality.
Measuring the impact of bong smoke
Hit the bong at your own risk. That’s the message from scientists in a research letter published in JAMA Network Open.
After a study, which involved measuring cannabis smoke from eight separate smoking sessions, the researchers concluded that bong smoke isn’t safe to inhale.
Indeed, the researchers found that after just 15 minutes of bong smoking, the average levels of fine particulate matter in the air can be more than twice the threshold deemed hazardous by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
According to some surveys, around 27 percent of young adults believe second-hand cannabis smoke exposure is safe to inhale, even though the smoke often contains high levels of PM.
To determine just how much PM is produced from bong smoking, two researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, brought an aerosol monitor to eight different “social smoking sessions” that took place in the same living room.
“These were social/recreational sessions and organized independently by another college student separate from the study,” S. Katharine Hammond, a professor of environmental health sciences at Berkeley and co-author of the study, told Analytical Cannabis.
“We were able to use these opportunities to make our measurements. We had no interaction with the smokers during the bong smoking event.”
PM measurements were taken before, during and after each smoking session. The monitor itself was placed in the room “where a nonsmoker might sit” to help make the findings more relevant to inhalers of second-hand smoke.
Results demonstrated that bong smoking generates extremely high levels of fine particulate matter in enclosed spaces:
- After 10 minutes: 410 µg/m³
- After 15 minutes: 570 µg/m³
- After 30 minutes: 1000 µg/m³
- Peak session measurement: 2500 µg/m³
For comparison, the US EPA defines 250 µg/m³ as the threshold for hazardous air quality. Thus, bong smoking can generate PM concentrations that are four to ten times higher than levels considered dangerous.
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These high levels of PM could pose a health risk to the smokers and those sitting near them.
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“There is extensive evidence of the adverse health effects of particulate matter at concentrations substantially below those measured in homes during and after bong smoking,” Hammond told Analytical Cannabis.
“To quote from the recent EPA report: there are ‘consistent positive associations between short-and long-term PM exposure and respiratory and cardiovascular effects and mortality.’”
Comparative analysis: Bongs, cigarettes and hookahs
The researchers further compared bong smoking to other inhalation methods (Table 1). Their calculations revealed that bong sessions generate approximately four times as much particulate matter as cigarette or hookah smoking within the same indoor environment.
Table 1. A comparison of typical PM concentrations from smoking cigarettes vs hookah vs bong.
| Smoking Method | Typical PM Concentration (µg/m³) | Relative Exposure |
| Cigarettes | ~250–300 | Baseline hazard |
| Hookah | ~250–300 | Similar to cigarettes |
| Bong | 1000+ (peaks up to 2500) | ~4x higher than cigarettes/hookahs |
This data underscores the magnitude of exposure from bong smoking, challenging perceptions that water filtration reduces harm.
No smoke without risk
Cannabis smoke is known to contain many of the same chemicals present in tobacco smoke. Yet the effects of these chemicals may be altered when present with cannabinoids, according to some research.
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One scientific review published in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention found no association between cannabis use and lung cancer despite marijuana smoke containing many known carcinogens in amounts comparable with those found in tobacco smoke. One explanation for this null association, as posited by the review, is that cannabinoids like THC counteract the carcinogens with their tumor-suppressant effects, which have been evidenced in several cell culture and animal model studies.
But other, more recent studies have documented the negative health risks second-hand cannabis smoke can pose.
A study published in Pediatric Research found that the children of regular cannabis consumers who smoke or vape come down with viral respiratory infections more often than children whose parents don’t smoke. However, other risks known to be associated with second-hand tobacco smoke, such as ear infections or asthma attacks, weren’t reported more frequently in the children of frequent cannabis users.
Another paper published in EClinicalMedicine found that cannabis smoking raises the levels of the toxic chemicals acrylonitrile and acrylamide in the blood, but not to the same extremes seen in tobacco smokers.
Bong smoking side effects and potential health risks
The side effects of bong smoking are primarily mediated through exposure to fine PM and chemical toxins. Documented risks include:
- Respiratory effects: Chronic exposure to PM2.5 is linked to bronchitis, reduced lung function and heightened susceptibility to infections.
- Cardiovascular effects: Fine particulates contribute to systemic inflammation, oxidative stress and arterial dysfunction, increasing risk for hypertension, stroke and heart disease.
- Carcinogenic potential: Although epidemiological studies show mixed results regarding cannabis and lung cancer risk, the presence of carcinogens in cannabis smoke suggests long-term exposure could be harmful.
- Second-hand exposure: Non-smokers in the same environment may inhale hazardous concentrations of particulates, challenging assumptions that water-filtered cannabis smoke is safe.
The side effects of bong smoking extend beyond the individual user to affect all individuals sharing the same environment. Far from providing a safer inhalation method, bong smoking generates particulate matter concentrations that greatly exceed hazardous air quality thresholds. With chemical profiles that include carcinogens and toxic compounds and with measurable health consequences ranging from respiratory irritation to cardiovascular strain, bong smoking presents a significant scientific and medical concern. For researchers, continued investigation into cannabis smoke composition and its biological effects remains critical to improving understanding of inhalation-related health risks.
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