What a disappointment

[MXGratefulDiver]

Or he works somewhere where he has to take care of patients with end-stage lung disease, heart disease, lung cancer, bladder cancer or any of the other ghastly health problems that come with long-term smoking . . . I'd put a smilie on this to take the sting out of it, but as it turns out, I meant every word.

Yes but ... calling someone a retard rarely makes them want to hear whatever else you have to say. Saying it in the DIR forum also only reinforces a stereotype that the entire DIR discussion would be better off leaving in the past.

Communication is also an important diving skill ... one that DIR emphasizes. So why are so many DIR proponents so piss poor at it?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Just for clarification, all GUE courses require you to be a non-smoker. It will be interesting if GUE takes the high road and has this requirement for the upcoming OW course, or if market pressure will cause them to waiver.

That OW class has been upcoming for about four years now ... it'll be interesting to see if it ever happens at all. If so, I expect that the non-smoking requirement will be part of it. Since the class will be targeting a very small segment of people who don't mind paying a lot of money and putting in a lot of effort to learn how to dive, I don't anticipate that there will be any market pressure ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[all4scuba05]

Will they also require low cholesterol? and healthy vascular system verified by a Dr?

 

[Soggy]

Will they also require low cholesterol? and healthy vascular system verified by a Dr?

Come on, people. This isn't complicated. Smoking is a very clear yes or no with not much subjectivity associated with it. Smoking has very obvious and lasting repercussions relating to efficiency in off gassing, CO and CO2 retention, etc, etc....Diver's should not smoke.

It is a fallacy of logic that because they exclude a group of people that they have to exclude another group based on different criteria.

 

[rjack321]

I commend the OP for quitting. Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances known to mankind. You have my support for a long and healthy life - and better diving throughout it.

 

[lamont]

Communication is also an important diving skill ... one that DIR emphasizes. So why are so many DIR proponents so piss poor at it?

s/DIR proponents/internet users/ is the root of that issue.

 

[Vayu]

One thing I will say is that other GUE instructors will teach student smokers. The idea of fundamentals is to teach divers about the standards and to help them improve. In my opinion the instructor in question should take a cue from other GUE instructors and use the course to help you rather than deny you access. Non smoking is a big deal when it comes to diving but it should be the instructor that helps you understand this during the course. In my opinion denying training to anyone who smokes is ridiculous. They can teach you to be safer and talk to you about it during the course like other GUE instructors do.

 

[LG Diver]

I don't think (and I may be totally off on this so please feel free to correct me) that the issue is that GUE instructors are unwilling to teach smokers. I think that everyone would agree educated divers are better divers. The issue is that GUE training appears (to me, at least) to be the "secret handshake" into some organizations, with the idea being that anyone that has taken and passed a GUE course meets the prerequisites to dive "DIR". I would think that offering GUE training to individuals that don't meet all the prerequisites would cast confusion on what course completion would mean. One solution might be to allow smokers (or anyone that doesn't meet certain criteria) to audit the course for learning, but not receive a "pass" or card, essentially making it a workshop for them. It would then be up to individuals or organizations to determine if they are willing to compromise on diving with smokers that otherwise possess all the knowledge and skills to dive DIR. This, of course, opens up a thousand other questions such as which prerequisites are still complete disqualifiers, and which ones could be overlooked for someone to audit the class? What if someone quits smoking, do they need to take the class again, or just somehow prove they quit to get their pass? What happens to this class of "almost-DIR" divers? I hope this doesn't come across as mean, condecending, or offensive. I'm just throwing out ideas for discussion. I'm certainly not in any position to determine anyone's DIR-ness.

 

[riguerin]

s/DIR proponents/internet users/ is the root of that issue.

LOL.

echo 'So why are so many DIR proponents so piss poor at it?' | sed s/'DIR proponents'/'internet users'/ | awk '{if ($6=="internet") print "Never mind !"}'

 

[limeyx]

Just for clarification, all GUE courses require you to be a non-smoker. It will be interesting if GUE takes the high road and has this requirement for the upcoming OW course, or if market pressure will cause them to waiver.

Edit: Trying to get the quote to display correctly.

I dont think I can see GUE compromising on smoking in the Open Water program.