Originally published on 17 September 2023 and transferred from the original BusaBoy blog in 2026.
Forty-five is not a magic age at which diving suddenly becomes unsafe, and smoking does not produce one simple yes-or-no answer either. The useful question is whether the diver’s current cardiovascular, respiratory and general health are compatible with the demands of the dives they plan to make.
Age changes the conversation, not automatically the answer
As people get older, the chance of cardiovascular disease and other health conditions generally increases. That is one reason medical screening becomes more important with age. A fit older diver may be in far better condition for a demanding dive than a much younger person with poor fitness or an unrecognised medical problem.
Smoking adds avoidable respiratory and cardiovascular risk
Smoking can damage lung function and cardiovascular health. Those are systems that diving depends on, particularly when there is current, cold, stress, a long surface swim or an emergency requiring more effort than the normal dive.
The important point is not to turn that into an internet diagnosis. A diver’s actual medical history, symptoms, medication, exercise tolerance and planned diving all matter.
Do not hide information from the medical screening process
A screening form only works when the answers are honest. If age, smoking, symptoms or another condition triggers a requirement for medical evaluation, the correct next step is a clinician who understands diving medicine—not trying to find a friend or instructor willing to ignore the question.
Fitness is something to maintain
Regular exercise, sensible weight management and stopping smoking are good health decisions independently of scuba. For diving, better fitness also gives more reserve when the dive becomes harder than expected.
My practical view
I would not tell somebody they are safe to dive because they are “only” 45, and I would not tell somebody they are automatically finished with diving because they are older. I would look at the real demands of the dive and insist that medical questions are answered by the right professional.
This article is general information only. Anyone with a relevant medical condition, symptoms, significant smoking history or uncertainty about fitness to dive should seek individual advice from an appropriately qualified diving-medicine clinician.
