Scuba diving and smoking

[LowDrag]

There is an aspect of this thread that I find interesting as a long time ScubaBoard participant. We have had a number of threads in the past related to smoking and Scuba. This is the first one I can remember in which there has not been a number of posters insisting that smoking is not a problem and even (ridiculously) that smokers have better SAC rates than non-smokers for some absurd reason related to their lungs being used to working with less oxygen.

In all my years on ScubaBoard, I have entered into many a contentious fray on many a contentious topic. I have had a number of my posts removed, but only because they responded to another post that was deemed inappropriate. I have never had any of my posts moderated on their own merit. The closest I ever came was on a thread much like this. I made a post similar to the one I made above--pretty benign and straightforward, in my view. I received a warning message from a moderator about it. Now that I am on the staff and know how things work, I know what happened. Some smoker had reported my message and complained that it infringed on smoker's rights to do as they pleased by suggesting that what they were doing was not the best thing in the world. In response, a staff member had contacted me to suggest I present my views on smoking in a more balanced fashion.

I wonder if this change is just a chance occurrence determined by who happened to be reading the threads, or if it indicates a change in overall viewpoints.

As a moderator on a fishing forum I would say that the person that made that complaint should have been told to get a life. I have seen nothing in this thread that would raise my eyebrows in any way. I see a lot of support and some good advice. Being a former smoker many times...LOL...I think that there is no harm intended by anyone here. Good luck to all that want to quit.

 

[vladimir]

I always stop cold turkey but this time cannot find the place in my mind I got to the other times I quit.

I have never been a smoker, but my fiancee was. She got the nicorette gum and quit smoking, but she never quit nicotine. It's two years later and she's still chewing 2-mg fresh mint nicorette. A doctor will tell you, I think, that the gum is only intended for the short-term (3 months, I think) transition to non-smoking. But he'll also tell you that it's a hell of a lot better than smoking. I think it's cheaper, too, and more convenient. You know that intense craving you get for a cigarette after a meal? Well, she can satisfy hers without leaving the dinner table.

 

[buddhasummer]

I have never been a smoker, but my fiancee was. She got the nicorette gum and quit smoking, but she never quit nicotine. It's two years later and she's still chewing 2-mg fresh mint nicorette. A doctor will tell you, I think, that the gum is only intended for the short-term (3 months, I think) transition to non-smoking. But he'll also tell you that it's a hell of a lot better than smoking. I think it's cheaper, too, and more convenient. You know that intense craving you get for a cigarette after a meal? Well, she can satisfy hers without leaving the dinner table.

Yes I think this time I will give the gum a try, as you said Im sure its way less damaging than smoking and at only 2mg per piece as opposed to 12mg per cigarette should be easier to stop after a period of not smoking. Ironically here in Japan the gum is more expensive than smoking. I know in NZ and Australia its a different story, and in fact if you want to stop in NZ you can get the gum and patches for around $6 and its a 3 month supply. NZ governement is doing all it can to help those who wish to stop stop.

 

[melissawest]

finally got the chance to visit Scubaboard and must say I'm grateful of all your responses.

As they say, different strokes for different folks, I think the concept applies to the aftermath of quitting smoking. My SAC is much better and I feel fantastic now that I'm free from cigarette addiction. I however read some people saying they quit and after a few years they fell right back to the smoking habit! Now that made me a bit worried I genuinely hope that wouldn't happen to me (fingers-crossed) But judging on how my tummy turns when I smell smoke and how I get dizzy of the smell, I think there is a better chance of me not regressing.

 

[Doubler]

Melissa,
It is true that some go back to smoking, I know I did three times. Each time two things triggered it- stress at work and beer. I quit drinking years ago and retired last December so I hope this time it will stick for good. Smoking is tough to quit so just remember if you do take a slide back nothing can stop you from trying again. Chantix does work as it blocks the nicotine sensors in the brain but to me it is like a last resort thing. If you can do cold turkey God bless. Stick with it you are doing great.

 

[Mantaman]

Sorry I can not resist sharing an experience with a DM (who by the way was a heavy smoker) in Asia. I would estimate her age was about 15 years younger than me at the time and I dove with her operator for a week and I saw her use her divers air numerous times. I don't say share because she was breathing on the other divers octo's several times. She would come up to us and give a low air signal and then take the octo and continue diving. When the diver she was breathing off of got low, she would end the dive. It was not an emergency situation for her at all. She used it as a strategy to lengthen the dive. I was amazed and she was not the least phased.

I saw her a few years latter at a Dive Expo working for a very high end resort that was selling leisure experiences (mainly spa treatments and healthy food) that happened to be on the beach and if you wanted a dive, the water was close by. Needless to say, my opinion of that resort was lowered seeing who was in the package. :mooner:

 

[Doubler]

Rather see her use it as a strategy to lengthen than shorten the dive.

 

[daniel1948]

I have never been a smoker, but my fiancee was. She got the nicorette gum and quit smoking, but she never quit nicotine. It's two years later and she's still chewing 2-mg fresh mint nicorette. A doctor will tell you, I think, that the gum is only intended for the short-term (3 months, I think) transition to non-smoking. But he'll also tell you that it's a hell of a lot better than smoking. I think it's cheaper, too, and more convenient. You know that intense craving you get for a cigarette after a meal? Well, she can satisfy hers without leaving the dinner table.

When I was a child, and had to spend alternate weekends at the house of my father and step-mother, not only would they smoke at the dinner table while I was still eating, but they'd scold me for being rude if I waved away the smoke plumes that came my way.

Sorry I can not resist sharing an experience with a DM <snip> She would come up to us and give a low air signal and then take the octo and continue diving. <snip> She used it as a strategy to lengthen the dive. <snip>

Rather see her use it as a strategy to lengthen than shorten the dive.

I was taught that as soon as a diver begins breathing off another diver's air, they begin a safe ascent. They may have enough air to continue diving for a while, but if anything else goes wrong, there is no more margin of safety available.

I'd insist on beginning the ascent as soon as that DM began breathing from my octo, and I'd refuse to dive with a DM again if she/he did as described above with another diver.

I was on a dive boat where the DM had to surface early to get ready to receive the divers on the boat. He would pair any divers that were diving with him into buddy pairs, and he would then surface alone. We were by then at shallower depths toward the end of the dive. This is what Mantaman's DM should have done when she ran low on air. Not take someone else's air in a non-emergency situation. Anyone who was not comfortable continuing the dive without a DM should have surfaced with her. Before anyone had to share air. Or she should have dived with more air. I've heard of mismatched buddy pairs where one use an AL70 while the other used a steel 100 or doubles.

TO MELISSA: Yes, quitting is hard, and some people relapse, but it sounds to me as though you have the determination to stick with it. There will be hard times, and it will be hard work, but I think you will succeed. Good luck.

 

[Druid]

As I understand it smoking has a number of adverse affects beyond those discussed above. These were explained to me by my OW instructor and my AN/DP instructor - both of whom were smokers.

• Increased carbon monoxide levels in the bloodstream which displaces O2 in haemoglobin
• Increased heart rate and blood pressure which can increase the chance of DCI
• Mucus in the lungs can trap gas leading to pulmonary barotrauma

I quit smoking in 1997 when I started diving. I had smoked for 25 years, up to 40 a day, and my wife and I both quit cold turkey. It was hell for a couple of weeks but we got through it and I have no urge to start again.

 

[drbill]

Congratulations. Probably the best single decision I made in my life was to finally quit smoking back in 1975 (after 10 years). Today I dive as long or longer than I did in my teens or twenties, look much better than my age and feel healthy. All six members of my family smoked and all six quit. You will undoubtedly benefit from your decision for the rest of a most likely extended life! More diving, more time underwater.