When was the last time you cleaned your cannabis pipe (aka bowl) or bong? Have you ever thought about the hidden colonies of bacteria and microbes living on them? Our latest study reveals shocking truths about the bacterial colonies thriving on bongs, bowls, and vapes. We examined the types and quantities of bacteria present on various cannabis paraphernalia, comparing them to everyday objects and investigating users’ cleaning habits. This article exposes the potential health risks associated with neglecting device maintenance and shares insights to help cannabis users make informed decisions about their smoking practices.
Key Takeaways
- A bong has over 58,000x of the bacteria of a toilet seat.
- A one-hitter has 14x the bacteria of an airport self-check-in kiosk.
- Bowls are the least frequently cleaned cannabis device, with nearly 60% of cannabis users only cleaning their bowls once a month or less.
- Over 30% of cannabis users have shared their smoking devices with others while feeling unwell.
Bacterial Profiles of Cannabis Smoking Devices
We investigated the amount of bacteria on various cannabis smoking devices, revealing the types and quantities present. Understanding these microorganisms is essential for evaluating potential health risks associated with using these devices.
We analyzed bacterial presence using colony-forming units (CFU), which represent the number of viable bacterial cells in a sample. The study identified multiple types of bacteria, including:
- Gram-positive cocci: These spherical bacteria retain crystal violet stain and can form various arrangements such as clusters or chains.
- Bacillus: Rod-shaped bacteria, often capable of forming spores, which are known for their resilience.
- Gram-positive bacteria: Microorganisms with thick cell walls that retain the crystal violet stain during the Gram-staining process.
- Actinomycetes: Filamentous bacteria resembling fungi commonly found in soil and water environments.
We saw significant variations in bacterial load across different smoking devices. Bongs harbored the highest concentration at 30,200,000 CFU/unit, with gram-positive rods accounting for 99% and gram-positive cocci for 1%.
Bowls followed with 24,600,000 CFU/unit, composed of 98% bacillus and 2% gram-positive cocci. One-hitters showed a lower but still substantial count of 3,600,000 CFU/unit, consisting entirely of bacillus bacteria. Vapes exhibited the lowest bacterial presence at 42,000 CFU/unit, populated exclusively by actinomycetes.
Comparing Cannabis Devices to Everyday Objects
We also looked at the bacterial load on other common items for context. Our findings uncovered a striking comparison between devices for cannabis use and items typically considered very unsanitary.
There turned out to be a significant microbial presence on cannabis devices compared to everyday objects. Bongs harbored over 58,000 times more bacteria than a toilet seat, while bowls contained twice the bacteria of a kitchen sink. One-hitters showed 14 times more bacteria than an airport self-check-in kiosk. Even vapes, the least contaminated of the cannabis devices, had nearly 400 times the bacteria of a toilet handle. This emphasizes the risk of using and sharing cannabis-use devices without proper cleaning.
Cannabis Users’ Device Cleaning Habits
Next, we found some additionally concerning trends when we looked at cannabis device maintenance habits.
Many cannabis users clean their devices infrequently, and some never clean them at all.
Respondents have cleaned their bowls the least frequently, with nearly 60% of users cleaning them only once a month or less.
The percentages of users who said they clean their devices monthly or less frequently varied across device types:
- Bowls: 58%
- One-hitters: 52%
- Vapes: 49%
- Bongs: 40%
It’s especially worrisome how infrequently users clean their bongs, considering we also found them to have the highest concentration of microorganisms. These are the percentages of respondents using each of the following who said they never clean them:
- Vapes: 13%
- Bowls: 3%
- One-hitters: 3%
- Bongs: 1%
Compounding these poor cleaning habits, over 30% of cannabis users have shared their smoking devices with others while feeling unwell. This combination of infrequent cleaning and device sharing can increase the risk of spreading harmful bacteria and viruses between users.
Protecting Your Health While Using Cannabis
Our study illuminates the often-overlooked issue of bacterial contamination in cannabis smoking devices. The levels of bacteria found—far surpassing those on common household items—show a critical need for regular and thorough cleaning of these items. The widespread practice of infrequent cleaning, coupled with device sharing, creates a perfect environment for harmful microbes and viruses to flourish and spread.
As cannabis use continues to gain acceptance, it’s crucial for users to prioritize hygiene in their smoking habits. By understanding the microbial risks associated with poorly maintained devices, users can take proactive steps to protect their health and the well-being of those they share with. Beyond aesthetics, clean, safe devices are fundamental to responsible and safe cannabis consumption.
Methodology
For this study, we performed three Gram and stain culture swab tests of common cannabis smoking devices. We swabbed each surface three times and then averaged the CFUs. We may have been able to gain more insight into bacteria levels with a larger sample size of surfaces. No statistical testing was performed. Our claims are based on means alone, so please consider this content as exploratory.
We gathered bacterial definitions from the National Center for Biotechnology Information, Britannica, and Science Direct. We also surveyed 1,000 cannabis users about their hygiene habits. Among them, 48% were male, 49% were female, and 3% were non-binary. Due to rounding, some percentages in this study may not total 100 exactly.
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