Diving dangers for smokers
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The dangers of smoking are clear and irrefutable. It is a practice inconsistent with good health generally, and good cardiovascular health in particular. Since good health is conducive to safe diving, smoking is not, and I would encourage the op to use diving as an additional incentive to quit. I do have smoking friends who dive, but they are not heavy smokers, are otherwise very physically active, and also under age 50. Yet their smoke affected lungs still bother them a bit. So why not quit now?
DivemasterDennis
DivemasterDennis
Great article, dreamdive.
The increased risk to divers of lung injury because of smoking is logical. But a depth limitation seems illogical since the greatest proportional pressure changes take place in shallower depths.
Nevertheless we read periodically here on ScubaBoard about a doctor imposing a depth limit. Presumably those doctors are not divers. I wonder if there is some outdated medical reference they refer to that carries such a recommendation.
The increased risk to divers of lung injury because of smoking is logical. But a depth limitation seems illogical since the greatest proportional pressure changes take place in shallower depths.
Nevertheless we read periodically here on ScubaBoard about a doctor imposing a depth limit. Presumably those doctors are not divers. I wonder if there is some outdated medical reference they refer to that carries such a recommendation.
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This is not meant as any type of flame or argument starter. Why are you surpirsed that smokers dive? Would it be surprising to you if someone that was overweight, had high blood pressure, diabetes or any other number of ailements still enjoy diving? We're still humans and enjoy fun activities too. While I am no longer a smoker, I dived for years as a smoker and had pretty decent air consumption and no ill effects from smoking. In fact, my air consumption was better then than it is now. Figure that one out for me. lol
dreamdive
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Not a lot of doctors are divers. I suspect that, when they try to put depth limits on their patients, they're just worried about the risk of being deep, rather than thinking through the issues with proportional pressure changes.
Although I can't put my finger on a reference right now, I remember being taught that, after enough time as a smoker, virtually everyone will show pulmonary function testing abnormalities, even if they are not yet symptomatic. That means decreased pulmonary reserve, which shouldn't be a huge issue most of the time on scuba, but where it is (fighting a downwelling, for example) it could make the difference between getting through something safely, or not. Another concern is that COPD can lead to mucus plugging of small airways, and that IS a risk for embolization. A very experienced cave diver died a few years back in a mine, in shallow water and not far from the exit, and his autopsy showed a previously unsuspected small cancer, that had created a ball-valve effect in an airway, leading to an embolism.
In addition, long term smoking raises your risk of all vascular disease, including heart attack and stroke.
But of course, none of these risks is really depth dependent, so long as you go under the water, so a depth limitation makes no sense at all.
Although I can't put my finger on a reference right now, I remember being taught that, after enough time as a smoker, virtually everyone will show pulmonary function testing abnormalities, even if they are not yet symptomatic. That means decreased pulmonary reserve, which shouldn't be a huge issue most of the time on scuba, but where it is (fighting a downwelling, for example) it could make the difference between getting through something safely, or not. Another concern is that COPD can lead to mucus plugging of small airways, and that IS a risk for embolization. A very experienced cave diver died a few years back in a mine, in shallow water and not far from the exit, and his autopsy showed a previously unsuspected small cancer, that had created a ball-valve effect in an airway, leading to an embolism.
In addition, long term smoking raises your risk of all vascular disease, including heart attack and stroke.
But of course, none of these risks is really depth dependent, so long as you go under the water, so a depth limitation makes no sense at all.
I've lived long enough to see what long term smoking frequently does as people age. When I was young and a pack a day smoker I dived much deeper and more often than I do now, with no problems. I can remember getting in that last cigarette as the dive boat approached its destination. Ignorance is bliss.
I've never had much faith in official statistics, but eventually, more thn 30 years ago, I quit, based on my own observation of the effects smoking had on me and others. It was hell for a few months, but I knew it had to be done. Had I continued, I might not still be diving in my 70s.
The damned things stink, infusing everything around you with an unpleasant smell that all non-smokers can detect immediately. The coughing, the numerous effects on the skin and body, and the liklihood of damaging all kind of organs was enough to convince me.
The risk of cancer and COPD alone should be enough incentive to get rid of the accursed things. When I was a kid, back when cowboys and physicians assured us that those seductively calming things were harmless, we still called them cancer sticks. We knew. If all that wasn't enough, they are now so expensive that I question the sanity of people who live on a tight budget but somehow find $50 or more every week for cigarettes.
Certainly you can smoke and dive, but that's not the real point. When I hear or read something starting with the comment "I'm a smoker" it has about the same effect on my attitude as the comment "I am a heroin user", or "I start my day with a fifth of gin".
Clean livin', baby. It's the only way.
I've never had much faith in official statistics, but eventually, more thn 30 years ago, I quit, based on my own observation of the effects smoking had on me and others. It was hell for a few months, but I knew it had to be done. Had I continued, I might not still be diving in my 70s.
The damned things stink, infusing everything around you with an unpleasant smell that all non-smokers can detect immediately. The coughing, the numerous effects on the skin and body, and the liklihood of damaging all kind of organs was enough to convince me.
The risk of cancer and COPD alone should be enough incentive to get rid of the accursed things. When I was a kid, back when cowboys and physicians assured us that those seductively calming things were harmless, we still called them cancer sticks. We knew. If all that wasn't enough, they are now so expensive that I question the sanity of people who live on a tight budget but somehow find $50 or more every week for cigarettes.
Certainly you can smoke and dive, but that's not the real point. When I hear or read something starting with the comment "I'm a smoker" it has about the same effect on my attitude as the comment "I am a heroin user", or "I start my day with a fifth of gin".
Clean livin', baby. It's the only way.
flots am
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The Tobacco Effect | Scuba Diving
I don't remember the exact mechanism, but it turns out to not be a "good thing" (seem to remember something about smoking damaging the CO2/breathing response.)
flots.
dreamdive
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