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Information style fact sheet
Drugs and drowning
What you need to know
- Using drugs while in and around water is dangerous as it can increase the risk of drowning.
- This includes not only illegal drugs but also, prescription medication.
- Some medications can cause you to be sleepy and affect alertness.
- Combining drugs with alcohol can cause negative changes in your body
- Some medications can cause impaired judgement and distorting perception of risk.
- Some medications or illicit substances can reduce success in first aid and resuscitation.
How to stay safe
· Avoid mixing alcohol and drugs
- Only take medications as prescribed by doctor
- Avoid aquatic activity at night
- Be aware that any medication that you are on that might affect your ability to supervise around the water
- Be aware that consuming drugs can impact alertness, judgement, coordination and reaction time
- Be aware of medication side effects
- If taking regular medication, check with doctor on how to engage safely in aquatic activities
Real-life story
Four men were camping at a remote riverside location. They were drinking and smoking all day. Two men decided to go kayaking at night. The kayak rolled over tipping them into the water. One man swam to shore to alert the others. Due to the combination of drugs, alcohol intoxication, darkness, and the isolation of their location they could not properly search for their friend or inform emergency services immediately. The man was found in the river the next morning, deceased. It was determined the drugs and alcohol contributed to the circumstances that led to his drowning. Royal Life Saving recommends staying out of the water if alcohol or drugs are being used.
Image
- Generic photo from ‘Don’t let your mates drink and drown’
