Marijuana Use and Safe Diving.

[rjack321]

In Seattle, I believe an open water student died during a training dive and was found to have been using cannabis. It ended up short-circuiting the lawsuit that followed. I don't have time right now to look up the details, but my recollection was that this was 10 or more years ago (before legalization), female student, and alcohol was also involved.

What's the basis for this? Autopsy reports are not public records in Washington State (RCW 68.50.105: Autopsies, postmortems—Reports and records confidential—Exceptions.). So unless you are a family member or representing a family member as an attorney or for insurance purposes there is no way to know what legal or illicit substances might have been ingested.

 

[txgoose]

As @Doc said, we will eventually work our way towards the THC equivalent of BAC. As someone who hasn’t partaken (a legal decision rather than a moral one) this is an academic interest for now.

I remember in elementary school being told that even scientists in the US were barred from testing with it. Struck me as an idiotic policy then, still does. Statutory ignorance. In lieu of data, we’ll go the test case route for now.

 

[Joris Vd]

Just play safe and keep a day between the dives and the smoking. It might not be 'out of your system' but it wil definitely not change your behavior or impair your judgment anymore. If you want to be safe insurance-wise, you need to quit for a month.

 

[Storker]

Alcohol also dehydrates you like crazy. May contribute to DCS.

If I were DUI (diving under the influence), no matter if it was due to alcohol, cannabis or anything else, DCS would be one of minor concerns. Drowning from being stupid and not able to handle an emergency appropriately, OTOH..

 

[Dogbowl]

I can just imagine it...

"Ooooh, that's a pretty fishy! I'm going to follow it and catch it and bring it home with me and I'll love it forever!"

300 feet deep later, he/she's still trying to catch that little fishy!

 

[dmaziuk]

I know nothing about cannabis other than what I read/see on the news.

Yeah, we get that.

Reactions vary but at the end of the day it's no different from driving under the influence: some are better at it, some of it can be learned, and as long as nothing goes wrong you'll most likely get away with it. And the more you get away with it, the deeper down that "normalization of deviance" rabbit hole you go. And then Murphy shows up.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

What's the basis for this? Autopsy reports are not public records in Washington State (RCW 68.50.105: Autopsies, postmortems—Reports and records confidential—Exceptions.). So unless you are a family member or representing a family member as an attorney or for insurance purposes there is no way to know what legal or illicit substances might have been ingested.

My failing memory? I was researching deaths and which LDS's tend to be associated with them when I came across the story. Two possibilities on the autopsy report: It may have been part of the record if a lawsuit went forward or it may have been based on "scuttlebutt" from the local diving internet boards. I don't recall.

I tried repeating my Google search, and ended up getting more reports of deaths than I recall seeing previously. If I can narrow it down, I'll post again with a link.

 

[flyboy08]

Smokin pot at night and then waking 6-8 hours later will have absolutely no effect on your day to day activities....I smoke just prior to sleep...in order to sleep peacefully and then have flown, dove, raced motorcycles and even brushed my teeth without any ill effect....and then I repeat again each night. I guess YRMV, but I doubt it.

 

[Photo Girl]

I got certified in the 80s as a teen in the red sea (eilat). We were stoned on Lebanese hash 24/7 for 2 weeks straight. Pretty sure the only side effect was a c card and a great time.

I don't suppose you remember much of your training.

Never smoked pot and I don't plan to even if it is legal. Whiskey is legal and I never touch that either. Two beers make me stupid LOL.

 

[Dish]

@Roger Hobden , while not my thing, your’s is great question and one worth researching... particularly its impact to divers. Despite detectable presence for several weeks, when does the effect cease to impact physiological skills and critical decision making? Flyboy provides anecdotal evidence, but I couldn’t find good solid research to affirm his experience... not that I doubt him. I looked around for study papers and they all seem politcally motivated... for or against.

Sure wish Lynne was still here (for a variety of reasons). I would expect that she might have something informative to say.