Smoking is bad for everyone, that is no secret, no matter what the mass media says to people world wide, millions of people every year take up smoking. Those who scuba dive are especially effected by smoking.
The most extensive study done by Framingem research shows the impact that smoking has on the health of humans. Their research covered 34 years and over five thousand people. Typical illnesses among smokers are skin, stomach, mouth, lung, pancreas and throat cancers. The defective functioning of lungs create huge problems concerning inhalation and children in this research who began smoking at age 14-15 had greatly damaged their lungs. But the saddest part of this is that it is an irretrievable function.
So it is obvious that divers need to have good breathing systems as not to violate blood circulation which is the way in which the body removes inert gasses form muscle tissues.
Cigarette smoke has four hazardous substances: irritants, nicotine, carcinogen and toxic gases. Irritants cause tumor formation, cough and bronchial mucus in the lungs. Nicotine penetrates the body and poisons the brain so the nervous system and brain undergo changes. Carcinogens are the main cancer creators and can effect the organs through the blood stream.
The Fremingem studies did a lung test that measures the amount of air you can breathe out in one second. (FEV1) The data shows that smokers’ FEV1 is lowered to 80% of normal which in turn reduces the effectiveness of ventilation. The Nicotine causes platelets that block small blood vessels and will increase the risk of diving and decompression. It will diminish circulation on the periphery of the body.
Normal blood circulation is even more important to those who dive in cold waters, especially in the joint areas. Because smoking reduces the circulation of the blood vessels the gas exchange worsens and so the rise of decompression will increase.
With all the health risks that can be created by smoking you should wonder about how reliable a dive buddy can be while diving. Can he help a friend in need or would he be the one to create problems?
During a dive, the heart is under great strain which explains the many heart attacks in divers compared to diver who do not smoke. Scuba divers are given a serious medical examination before allowed to dive and unhealthy people are usually deprived of this right. Smoking and scuba diving are a dangerous combination.