Marijuana (not while diving)

[otter-cat]

Hi Dr. Deco,

I am seeking information on the effects of marijuana use by divers, especially as related to DCS. Several times, students have asked about it, but I have found no information about diving and marijuana other than the (correct) admonition that diving while under the influence of marijuana (or any other intoxicants) is very dangerous, and should NEVER be done. I always direct them to ask their personal physicians, but I think many of them never do, and am also concerned because many GPs/Family Practitioners do not seem to have much diving-specific knowledge. I would like to have some good information that I can pass on to students myself about any risks associated with marijuana use and diving.

Please let me make clear that I am NOT talking about diving WHILE high. As stated above, that is obviously and absolutely a bad idea, no matter what the circumstances. What I would like to find out about is whether there are any special considerations that be taken into account by divers who use marijuana at times/dates other than when they plan to dive.

Any info you can provide would be appreciated!

 

[Dr Deco]

Dear otter-cat:

I am not aware of any adverse effects with respect to marijuana and decompression.

It is probably a top that will not be researched since it would involve exposing test subjects to decompression with and with the use of any given substance, e.g., marijuana. I could be virtually 100% certain that such a study would never get funded by any group of which I am aware.

[It goes without saying that I am not a fan of drugs - diving or otherwise.]:boom:

Dr Deco :doctor:

 

[otter-cat]

Dr Deco,

Thanks for your quick reply. While I am not surprised that there is not much research out there about this topic, it seems like it would be something worth studying, since there are certainly divers out there who use marijuana. I am guessing that there must be studies of the effects of alcohol use (even when not done immediately prior to diving) on DCS susceptibility, because there are divers out there who use alcohol. As a medical issue, it seems like it would be just as legitimate to investigate the effects of other drugs besides alcohol that divers use on other days.

I am not condoning the use of alcohol, marijuana or any other drug regardless of diving, but I do think that since these drugs are part of our society, they merit investigation in this context.

Thanks again,
otter-cat

 

[Scubaroo]

There is an article on this in the current edition of Rodales. Not surprisingly, they do not condone it's use. Seeing as most users SMOKE marijuana, lung damage could easily result...

not admitting or denying any knowledge on this matter

 

[Wendy]

Maybe there hasn't been any studies on Marijuana use and diving and there has been with alcolhol and other drugs is because Marijuana is illegal and the other drugs that have been studied are not. That's just a guess.

Also the damage from one marijuana cigarette is five times greater than the damage done from one tobacco cigarette.

I always begin my dives with gear that works 100% and that includes my brain and my lungs.

 

[Dr Deco]

Dear Readers:

Marijuana and diving has not been investigated because there is not any money for the study. Questions on many topics arise and readers are often surprised that no data on the topic exists.

While it is not clear to the non-scientist, researchers do not have money to pursue any field of interest. Not all areas that are short of data and have value will be given research money. In fact, most areas are not studied. There is for example virtually no research being perform on questions of interest to scuba divers. Why? Because it is not a national health problem. Scuba equipment providers could possibly do something but few if any do. The PADI/DSAT study on their decompression tables was a notable exception. There are also the tables from Buhlmann (Switzerland), DCIEM (Canada) and the US Navy, but these had a different origin and were developed for the military and not expressly developed for recreational divers.

While many decompression systems are on the market (, that is, deco meters), I have no idea how well they actually accomplish their purported task, since there is nothing written about them.

Wendy's comments are particulary good. Start with 100% of your brain ( and lungs and circulatory system)! :sunny:

Dr Deco :doctor:

 

[DuckDive]

Originally posted by Wendy
Also the damage from one marijuana cigarette is five times greater than the damage done from one tobacco cigarette.

I don't smoke either one (anymore), so I don't really care either way, but I'm curious about the source of this info, and what type of damage it refers to.

Mark.

 

[canuckton]

Strangely enough, I once met a girl who decided to do her own research on the subject.

I was in _________(withheld so as not to taint your opinion of this fabulous dive destination) and there was a DM named Tina who, after a few beers invited me to her place. I was not inclined to decline.

She showed me a plexiglass box into which quite a lot of work had obviously been invested. It had a Micra regulator attached to equalize and direct air into 7 chambers, and cooling channels between the chambers. There was also a handle and a big mouthpiece with another regulator.

In other words, an underwater bong.

I told her I thought it was interesting, but a very bad idea. She kicked me out.

2 days later, she decided to try it out, and put a small bowl of bud in the contraption, and sealed it up. It used a small battery to heat the bud. Well, she tried it. Not at 10 feet. Not at 30 feet. At 110 feet. I'm told by divers with her that she took one hit and went completely unconcious (from the huge concentrations of CO and CO2 I presume) and had to be rescued.

Apparently she wasn't fired, and continues to work at that same resort.

I'd love to get my hands on that contraption just to have it in some sort of museum!!

 

[Dr Deco]

Dear Canuckton

Just when you thought that you’d heard just about everything!

Dr Deco
:doctor:

 

[MSilvia]

I studied my share of bong physics back in the day, and I'm astounded that someone could at the same time be bright enough to build a device like that, and stupid enough to try using it while diving... especially at 110fsw!

A divemaster no less...
:whack: