When traveling overseas for dive holidays, you might be tempted to use recreational drugs that are legal in the places you are visiting. Cannabis is legal in many places, and other street drugs are often readily available. Is a quick high worth the risk you could be putting yourself in? Let’s take a look at the case for clean living, on and off vacation.
Marijuana
We all know that smoking anything is bad for our lungs, but what you might not realize is that the cannabinoid effects can add to the effects of nitrogen narcosis, because carbon monoxide retention reduces the amount of oxygen red blood cells get. In addition, smoking pot before diving increases the likelihood of hypoxia during ascent.
If you’re partying the night before a dive and you’re feeling tempted to partake of cannabis, you should know that restlessness and insomnia, nausea, sweating, irritability, and loss of appetite can happen afterward, meaning that the following day’s dives are probably not going to be the best. Not only will you feel terrible, but your attention span could be adversely affected, as can your strength and balance. Throat and mouth dryness could cause a problem, and you could be more prone to panicking. All these problems put you and your dive buddy at an elevated risk for injury, and even death.
Cocaine
Cocaine is a strong stimulant that produces a feeling of euphoria; it is also highly addictive. Besides being a drug that can completely ruin your life, it’s one you should avoid at all costs if you plan to dive. Using cocaine for any amount of time can severely damage your brain, causing problems with the decision making process. In addition, cocaine alters cardiac function, which in turn can affect tissue oxygenation and blood gases; nitrogen narcosis effects will be felt more strongly by anyone who has used cocaine prior to diving. If you’ve inhaled cocaine or smoked crack, you have probably damaged your lungs and other tissues; diving afterward is not advisable.
Methamphetamines
Besides being a disgusting, dirty, and unsafe drug manufactured by unsavory people in conditions unfit for any type of consumable to be produced under, methamphetamines can cause seizures and heart arrhythmias that can be fatal. Judgment is affected, and damage to all the body’s tissues can occur when the drug is used for any length of time. Take a look at before and after photos of people who use meth; you’ll see that they appear to be much older than they really are. If you’ve made the mistake of using methamphetamines, you should be aware that the drug can affect your body’s function for more than 24 hours after you have consumed it.
Other drugs to avoid include things like Ecstasy and Heroin, and any other drug which could affect your judgment, your breathing, your heart rate, or any of your other vital functions. In addition, you should realize that alcohol is a drug too; wait until the day’s dives are done to enjoy alcoholic beverages, and don’t overdo it the night before a dive. You’ll stay healthy and safe; plus, you’ll enjoy the natural thrill of diving even more – an addictive and pleasurable pursuit that is completely drug free.