Smoking and diving

[boulderjohn]

I notice you list your home as Mongolia. In some Asian cultures, smoking is very much the norm--far different from the western world.

I just traveled to Palau. A very experienced dive travel agent helped set up the trip, and she warned us that one of the hotels in which we were planning to stay had a serious reputation about smoking. Although its rooms were all supposed to be non-smoking, she said it catered to a smoking culture, and it did not enforce that rule for that reason. We went with it anyway. When we checked in, the writing material we were given had a strong warning about the non-smoking policy, and it said we would be charged a deep cleaning fee if we violated the rule. When we entered the room, we gagged on the smoke smell. Management did a deep cleaning, which worked pretty well. By an incredible coincidence, we later dived with a honeymoon couple who had spent their first nights in that very room only two days before we arrived. They said it was just fine then. That means that horrific odor was accomplished in only two days. The maid must have known, and she obviously had not reported it.

One day we passed a room that had smoke billowing out of its open door. We glanced in and saw a room full of people, all of them smoking. While we were there, a hotel employee walked by and didn't even turn her head.

In short, if the dive operation caters to those people, then a picture of them all smoking will not deter any customers. It will probably attract them.

 

[Dogbowl]

I notice you list your home as Mongolia. In some Asian cultures, smoking is very much the norm--far different from the western world.

I just traveled to Palau. A very experienced dive travel agent helped set up the trip, and she warned us that one of the hotels in which we were planning to stay had a serious reputation about smoking. Although its rooms were all supposed to be non-smoking, she said it catered to a smoking culture, and it did not enforce that rule for that reason. We went with it anyway. When we checked in, the writing material we were given had a strong warning about the non-smoking policy, and it said we would be charged a deep cleaning fee if we violated the rule. When we entered the room, we gagged on the smoke smell. Management did a deep cleaning, which worked pretty well. By an incredible coincidence, we later dived with a honeymoon couple who had spent their first nights in that very room only two days before we arrived. They said it was just fine then. That means that horrific odor was accomplished in only two days. The maid must have known, and she obviously had not reported it.

One day we passed a room that had smoke billowing out of its open door. We glanced in and saw a room full of people, all of them smoking. While we were there, a hotel employee walked by and didn't even turn her head.

In short, if the dive operation caters to those people, then a picture of them all smoking will not deter any customers. It will probably attract them.

But I thought the Chinese weren’t allowed to go to Palau anymore? I’m guessing that’s the smoking culture you were referring to?

 

[boulderjohn]

In WW11 (1941 to 1945- in case you forgot) and the Korean "Conflict " (1950 to present- ) those who steped forward or was drafted into the service of the US were served meals called "C rations" which included a small cute little box of 4 cigarettes- Smoking was socially acceptable and promoted by the US government.

I recently watched the Ken Burns special on the Vietnam war. One of the former North Vietnamese soldiers who was interviewed talked about how easy it was to track and ambush American patrols. All you had to do was follow the trail of cigarette butts. You always knew where they were because of their heavy smoking.

 

[Roger Hobden]

I recently watched the Ken Burns special on the Vietnam war. One of the former North Vietnamese soldiers who was interviewed talked about how easy it was to track and ambush American patrols. All you had to do was follow the trail of cigarette butts. You always knew where they were because of their heavy smoking.

Another reason why smoking may be dangerous to your health.

 

[Roger Hobden]

Recall that one of the first European countries to adopt laws against smoking was nazi Germany, and Germany was also one of the first countries to publish scientific research linking tobacco to lung cancer, at the beginning of the XX century.

Tobacco policies in Nazi Germany: not as simple as it seems

The worldwide battle against tobacco use still hasn't been won yet, unfortunately.

 

[stevensamler]

Smoking causes a build up of mucus in the lungs and can interrupt the gas exchange at the alveoli sac which is only one cell thick. As we on gas on descent and off gas on ascent , smoking could someday bite you in the rear especially combined with a cold and if you happen to do tech profiles.

 

[Efka76]

I notice you list your home as Mongolia. In some Asian cultures, smoking is very much the norm--far different from the western world.

I just traveled to Palau. A very experienced dive travel agent helped set up the trip, and she warned us that one of the hotels in which we were planning to stay had a serious reputation about smoking. Although its rooms were all supposed to be non-smoking, she said it catered to a smoking culture, and it did not enforce that rule for that reason. We went with it anyway. When we checked in, the writing material we were given had a strong warning about the non-smoking policy, and it said we would be charged a deep cleaning fee if we violated the rule. When we entered the room, we gagged on the smoke smell. Management did a deep cleaning, which worked pretty well. By an incredible coincidence, we later dived with a honeymoon couple who had spent their first nights in that very room only two days before we arrived. They said it was just fine then. That means that horrific odor was accomplished in only two days. The maid must have known, and she obviously had not reported it.

One day we passed a room that had smoke billowing out of its open door. We glanced in and saw a room full of people, all of them smoking. While we were there, a hotel employee walked by and didn't even turn her head.

In short, if the dive operation caters to those people, then a picture of them all smoking will not deter any customers. It will probably attract them.

@boulderjohn,

my home country is Lithuania. In Mongolia i currently reside and work. Yes, you are right that in Asia people tend to smoke much more. In European union there are laws that prohibit smoking in many places. Also, cigarettes and cigars are very expensive. I wrote this post due to the following:

1) In FB very famous dive resort posted picture with smoking divers on the boat (including instructor). PADI and other organisations very clearly say that smoking and diving do not go together. So, if you are diving instructor it is extremely bad tone to smoke in front of your students. This would be the same if you start learning driving and your instructor sits in a car with you with bottle of beer.

2) This picyture was posted by some stupid person who is responsible for dive center marketing. I would fire such person immediately because he/she does not understand that this is a very bad publicity.... if i see that diving center instructors and all they students smoke i might get impression that this dive center does not look into diving and safety very seriously. At least i would avoid such dive center.

Regarding GUE - this is really great organisation and according to their rules you should be non-smoker. I think that this is really right approach. I already completed PADI recreational courses and intend to enroll into GUE Fundies or UTD Essentials. At least, what i read about GUE and their philosophy it seems that tehy are very close to my internal value system and thinking.

 

[gcarter]

After 35+ years of smoking, diving was the impetuous I needed to finally quit. It happened over the winter between being certified and my first post cert dive.

I have encountered smokers on dive boats. In my experience, they have all been respectful. I know this will not have been everyone's experience. Nonetheless, I find the judgemental nature of some of the divers posting here just as off-putting as a disrespectful smoker, and hope not to be on a boat with you.

 

[boulderjohn]

Smoking causes a build up of mucus in the lungs and can interrupt the gas exchange at the alveoli sac which is only one cell thick. As we on gas on descent and off gas on ascent , smoking could someday bite you in the rear especially combined with a cold and if you happen to do tech profiles.

For some reason the absurd belief that smoking improves your SAC rate--all evidence and all science to the contrary--is one of the most persistent in scuba. We had a thread about this a number of years ago. One of the posters talked about the local fire department dive rescue and recovery team. Those people in general did not smoke, but before a training session, they all choked down cigarette smoke because they had been taught that smoking would improve their diving.

 

[outofofficebrb]

@Roger Hobden

I was on a 2 week back to back liveaboard in the Red Sea in September with a company that is run by and attracts many Germans/Austrians. There was a group on the first week that smoked heavily when we were not in the water during all surface intervals. Worse yet, they would take turns smoking in small groups while sitting together as a large group so it was smoke at all hours of the day. At 140 feet long, it was not a small boat by any means. However, they were smoking on the 3rd deck (out of 4) where it was surprisingly permissible which is where most people choose to hang out between dives because that’s where the bar, beanbags, and most of the seating is. They smoked under the overhang or while on the beanbags in the middle of the area and the smoke would go out the sides and back towards the rest of the seating. I’m not going to lie...it was disgusting. Why they don’t make them go up to the top (4th) deck is beyond me. We lucked out on the second week as there were fewer smokers.

Many locals in Egypt also smoke so between all that, I’ve had a lot of second hand smoke inhalation the last month.