Is tar buildup in your bong bad?

When you smoke a bong, you’ll notice a dark, sticky tar residue left over in your device.

This substance is called resin or residue. But is it safe to dab and can it still get you high? Would any chemical dissolve it? How do I wash it?

In this article, We will delve into everything you need to know about cannabis resin or residue and whether it's actually worth your time.

What is resin in bong?

Resin is essentially the collected and re-condensed leftovers from your bong or other smoking ware, like pipe.

It’s a combo of tar, ash and carbon — all by-products of the combustion process.

If it's not cleaned immediately after each hit, it can build up inside.

Typically, the resin will coat the walls of the base, but it can also be found in other areas, such as the bowl or downstem.

The tar you find staining your bong is actually formed due to residues of incompletely burnt plant matter.

When one smokes a bong, some of the material doesn't burn completely, forming organic residues.

When hot smoke passes through glassware, it vapourises and in a way condenses back in the wall. This is what you see as tar buildup.

Is tar buildup in your bong bad?

The bong leftover resin contains the harmful carbon byproducts of smoking, such as ash and tar.

There is very little thc and it’s full of the shit you shouldn’t smoke.

When leftover resin is smoked, it can have potentially harmful side effects, including headache, sore throat, and difficulty breathing.

These side effects are primarily due to the fact that these byproducts like tar can irritate the lining of the throat and lungs.

In addition, This residue is a rich medium for bacterial growth, leading to a strong, unpleasant smell over time.

Resin buildup can make your pipe look grimy and taint the taste of new cannabis.

It’s meant to be cleaned out and thrown away. There’s almost no active ingredients of any kind in there that you could possibly want.

Can smoking resin or tar buildup get you high?

Resin does contain a little decarboxylated plant material (activated THC), very little bit of THC that did not get fully burned or that has fell into the pipe and caught inside, collected within the residue.

However, As Resin contain more tar than useful compounds, the high might not be pleasurable, you're unlikely to get a sufficient amount of cannabinoids and terpenes. Plus, the harsh odor is also a problem.

We don’t recommend smoking reclaimed cannabis resin, as the risks and dangers outweigh the benefits of the high.

How to clean the bong to remove tar buildup?

Cleaning your bong regularly will help reduce tar buildup.

Isopropyl alcohol and course salt work well because the salt acts as a scrubbing agent and the Isopropyl alcohol dissolves and disinfects.

Pour in some 90% rubbing alcohol (available in drugstores) and some course salt and shake vigorously while blocking the openings.

Epsom or rock salt works well. Rinse and repeat, it only takes 5 minutes or so.

Conclusion

Bong resin has very, very little amounts of THC but contains lots of harmful byproducts.

Generally dabbing or smoking resin is possible, but it will irritate the lungs and throat, and tastes like shit.

If you’ve been smart enough, don’t smoke any of this stuff.

Don’t do it to yourself. Either buy the real thing like live resin, or don’t do it at all.