Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Alcohol may be a precipitating cause in many diving accidents and fatalities. Diving safely requires one to be mentally alert and physically capable to confront the physiological changes imposed on a body under pressure. Drinking alcohol or using drugs not only physically alters the body, but also reduces one’s alertness, judgment and reaction capability.This altered capacity is further exaggerated when the body is exposed to pressure. Additionally, consumption of alcohol dehydrates the body – a contributing cause of decompression sickness.

Adive shop which provides, allows or encourages the consumption of alcohol before, between or after diving drastically increases the odds that one of its divers will sustain injury. Such activity may expose the operators to potential liability and consequently open themselves to liability.