Several patients have asked about liquids that can be used in a water pipe as an alternative to plain water. We did some hands-on research into the most popular suggestions on the web and found that when it comes to filling our water pipes, we overwhelmingly prefer water (sometimes infused with some citrus fruit peels, herbs, or flavored sparkling). If you have an overwhelming desire to experiment with other liquids, keep the following in mind and experiment using a very basic (no percs) water pipe.
- Cold (or Room Temperature) Water versus Hot Water
Both cold and hot water are great options. Surprisingly, several of us had never tried hot water and thought that hot water would make the hits harsher. Our conclusion was the opposite, hot water gave our users smoother, cough less hits. There is actual science to support the results which include water viscosity and gas-particle partitioning. Also, THC is not water soluble so you will not lose any THC in the water.
- Ice Cubes
Ice cubes can be added to any water pipe; however, the cubes can melt quickly, and the excess water may spill out of your downpipe, potentially making a mess. With that said, we found adding ice smoothed out the hit, enhanced the natural flavors and improved filtration by trapping more particles. We also found that using water chilled to almost the freezing point worked equally well and was easier to draw.
- Snow or Crushed Ice
Snow or crushed ice have the same downsides as ice cubes. In addition, initial hits may be harder to draw through the semi-solid mass of ice or snow. If you want to try snow (and it is available) remember to use clean snow. Again, we found water chilled to almost the freezing point worked better and had the advantage of always being available.
- Fruit or Herb Infused Water
Using fruit or herb infused water in your bong requires at least 12 hours of advanced preparation. Water may be infused with citrus peels, herbs (such as mint or ginger), or fruit (such as strawberries). Zest the peels, crush the herbs, or mash the fruit you want to try and add them to a container of water. Put the peels, herbs, or fruit into the water and put the container in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours (24 hours is better). Do your research, as inhaling some herbs may irritate your lungs. Infused water will add a subtle flavor to your hits.
- Essential Oil Infused Water
Infusing water with essential oils does not require any advanced preparation (other than having the essential oil on hand). Make sure the essential oil you want to add is safe to inhale (as many are not and some may be toxic). Add a couple drops of the essential oil to your bong water and proceed as you normally would. Overall, we found essential oils, while adding flavor to our hits, irritated our throats and lungs.
- Chilled Flavored Sparkling Water (think La Croix or Pellegrino Essenza)
There are countless numbers of sparkling water manufacturers and flavors and most of them will add a subtle flavor and crispness to your hits. Sparkling waters are colorless, sugar free, and non-flammable. Mango and passionfruit seemed to be our favorites. As an alternative to tap water, sparkling flavored water was our top choice.
It is a good idea to completely clean your water pipe after each session if you choose to experiment with any of the following options. Many of these alternatives are potentially toxic, so use extreme caution.
- Hot Tea
Consider whether you want to risk putting hot tea into your water pipe. If you decide to take the risk, hot tea is an aromatic option that you may find adds to the overall experience while imparting very little to the flavor.
- Iced Tea
Iced tea does not have the aromatic advantage of hot tea but is also unlikely to damage your water pipe or burn you. Iced tea (like ice cubes, cold water, snow, and crushed ice) will smooth your draws and impart very subtle flavors.
- Juice
Most fruit juices contain a lot of sugar which will coat the interior of your pipe with a sticky film that must be cleaned off after every session. Some fruit juices may permanently stain your device. Some juices are simply too thick and, if you want to try them, should be thinned with water.
- Cranberry Juice
If you want to try a juice, unsweetened cranberry juice is possibly a good option. Cranberry juice adds a very subtle flavor which was nice, but it also adds an acidity to your draws that we did not find pleasant. However, some testers noted that the acidity of the cranberry juice appeared to help keep the water pipe cleaner longer.
- Gatorade
Gatorade is available in quite a few flavors that have different colors. The flavor imparted by the Gatorade was subtle but, we will admit, the colors looked cool in the clear glass water pipes. However, Gatorade has a high sugar content and the cleaning required after each session was intensive.
- Soda
If you want to try soda in your water pipe, then the clear sodas (such as Sprite or 7-Up) are probably the better choices. The bubbles from the carbonation (which you also get from using sparkling water) is refreshing but we did not like how the soda flavored the cannabis. As with many other options, soda required intensive cleaning of the water pipe after each session.
- Kool-Aid
Kool-Aid, while it is available in multiple flavor options, has a lot of sugar and the coloring used may ruin some water pipes. We did not find that the flavor from Kool-Aid enhanced the flavor of our draws.
- Hard Liquor
Alcohol is flammable and we do not suggest using any liquid that could possibly explode in your bongs. From a health standpoint, inhaling fumes from alcohol can be extremely toxic which is in direct conflict with using cannabis to enhance your physical wellness. THC is alcohol soluble, and you will lose some of the THC in the alcohol. We recommend that you do NOT use any type of hard liquor in your water pipe.
- Wine
Wine generally has a lower alcohol content than hard liquor, making it a somewhat better choice. Choosing a wine with a very low alcohol content will reduce the potential toxicity of the fumes; reduce the amount of THC you lose; and reduce the likelihood the water pipe will explode. We found a merlot that created an interesting flavor and could see chefs pairing specific wines with specific strains. However, we would NOT recommend wine due to the potential toxicity.
- Mouthwash
Mouthwash contains a fair number of chemicals (such as ethanol, fluoride, or hydrogen peroxide) which should not be ingested or inhaled. Some contain alcohol, making it flammable. Do NOT try mouthwash in your water pipe. If you want a minty flavor added to your hit, try infusing water with mint or peppermint.
- Milk
Eww!!! If you want to try milk in your water pipe, please know it looks disgusting after the first draw and tastes nauseating. In addition, milk leaves a film inside the entire pipe that takes a fair amount of scrubbing to remove. Consider yourself forewarned.
If you want to try a liquid not included on our list, remember to do your research. Many liquids that may be safely ingested are NOT safe to inhale–including many contained on this list.
