Adherence to the Word of Wisdom in the LDS Church is required for
baptism and participation in the church (such as entry into the temple,
full-time missionary service, and attendance at
church schools), however the church instructs its leaders that violation of the Word of Wisdom is not normally cause for a church membership council and that church discipline "should not be [used] to discipline or threaten members who do not comply with the Word of Wisdom". and LDS Church leaders have counseled church members that they should not have personal interpretations of, or become extreme in their observance of the Word of Wisdom. One church leader specifically warned that adding additional unauthorized requirements, emphasizing it with excess zeal, or making it a "gospel hobby" is a sign of spiritual immaturity and sometimes apostasy.
Alcohol LDS Church leaders teach that consumption of any form of alcohol, including
beer, violates the Word of Wisdom, however, wine was used in the
sacrament, and "mild drinks" (beers) were originally allowed.
Cannabis In August 1915, the LDS Church banned the use of cannabis (also known as
marijuana) by its members, and two months later the state of
Utah banned cannabis. Some scholars have linked the two events, arguing that cannabis usage by Mormon returnees who had earlier fled to
Mexico led the church, and later the state, to make their decisions. Others contradict this, noting that Utah's prohibition laws were part of a larger package of anti-drug laws which happened to include cannabis, but did not indicate a statewide concern. The decriminalization effort in 1971 was said to be strong in Utah due to the state's high rate of use of cannabis, and the preference of
Latter-day Saints to handle matters within the church and family. As medical and recreational cannabis
decriminalization movements began in the late twentieth and early twenty-first century in the
United States, the LDS Church has sought to influence "appropriate" legal resolutions on medical cannabis.. In a 2010 conference for local church leaders in Colorado,
general authorities of the church explained in answer to a question that the church has no position on
medical marijuana and that the issue was left to individual consultation with scriptures and a member's
bishop. This same stance was later reiterated in a private discussion among the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in a 2010 video that was made public in 2016. The discussion included consensus that the church opposed recreational marijuana use more broadly but had no position on medical use specifically. In February 2016, the church released a statement supporting efforts to legalize
CBD oil in Utah, but not whole-plant cannabis remedies. The statement said that, "the Church understands that there are some individuals who may benefit from the medical use of compounds found in marijuana" and that it opposes
SB 73. In October 2016, the church's
First Presidency sent a letter to
congregations in
California,
Nevada, and
Arizona (states which were to vote on legalized recreational cannabis in November), urging members to oppose recreational legalization. A 2019 article in the church's youth magazine
New Era warned against marijuana use and stated
medical marijuana should only be used "under the care of a competent physician."
Tobacco In the LDS Church, tobacco is not allowed in any form, including smoking, chewing, or
vaping. There is generally thought to be no prohibition against drinking
herbal tea,
coffee substitutes such as
Pero and
Postum,
hot chocolate,
malt drinks such as
Ovaltine and
Milo,
mate, or hot water.
Definition of the term "hot drinks" "Hot drinks" is clarified for the LDS Church handbook:The only official interpretation of "hot drinks" (D&C 89:9) in the Word of Wisdom is the statement made by early Church leaders that the term "hot drinks" means tea and coffee.In 1842, Smith's brother
Hyrum, who was the
Assistant President of the Church and its
presiding patriarch, provided an interpretation of the Word of Wisdom's proscription of "hot drinks": And again "hot drinks are not for the body, or belly;" there are many who wonder what this can mean; whether it refers to tea, or coffee, or not. I say it does refer to tea, and coffee. According to a book written by LDS missionary and hymnographer
Joel H. Johnson in 1881, Joseph Smith shared Hyrum's interpretation: I understand that some of the people are excusing themselves in using tea and coffee, because the Lord only said "hot drinks" in the revelation of the Word of Wisdom .... Tea and coffee ... are what the Lord meant when He said "hot drinks". Since Pack's article, many Mormons have come to believe that the reason tea and coffee are proscribed is the presence of caffeine in the drinks. However, the church has never stated that this is the reason for the prohibition. The church does not have an official position on the consumption of caffeinated beverages, apart from the general statement that the Word of Wisdom does not specifically mention it. In 2012, in response to a report on Mormonism on NBC's
Rock Center with Brian Williams, which stated that LDS faithful were prohibited from drinking caffeine, the church wrote, "the church revelation spelling out health practices ... does not mention the use of caffeine." In the past, a number of church leaders have discouraged the use of such products. For example, in 1922, church president
Heber J. Grant counseled the Latter-day Saints: I am not going to give any command, but I will ask it as a personal, individual favor to me, to let coca-cola alone. There are plenty of other things you can get at the
soda fountains without drinking that which is injurious. The Lord does not want you to use any drug that creates an appetite for itself. Two years after making this statement, Grant met with a representative of
The Coca-Cola Company to discuss the church's position on Coca-Cola; at the conclusion of their second meeting, Grant stated that he was "sure I have not the slightest desire to recommend that the people leave Coca-Cola alone if th[e] amount [of caffeine in Coca-Cola] is absolutely harmless, which they claim it is." Because of such statements, some adherents believe that caffeine is officially prohibited under the Word of Wisdom. In the mid-1950s, the director of the food services for
Brigham Young University, a college owned by the LDS Church, decided not to sell caffeine on campus. This changed in September 2017 when BYU announced that caffeinated beverages would be sold on campus stating it was due to a change in responding to student requests. Official church publications have occasionally published articles by medical practitioners that warn of the health risks of consuming caffeine. In November 2010,
The Salt Lake Tribune stated that in the
2010 church Handbook, which sets out the official position of the church on health and social issues, no position on drinking Coca-Cola or caffeinated drinks was included.
The Salt Lake Tribune concluded that the church "takes no official position on caffeine".
Meat The Word of Wisdom states that "flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air ... are to be used sparingly", and that "it is pleasing unto [God] that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine." Many LDS Church leaders have expressed their views on the subject of
meat. In 1868,
church president Brigham Young counseled, "Flesh should be used sparingly, in famine and in cold." In 1868, apostle
George Q. Cannon said, "We are told that flesh of any kind is not suitable to man in the summer time, and ought to be eaten sparingly in the winter." From 1897 to 1901, apostle and then church president
Lorenzo Snow repeatedly emphasized the importance of eating meat sparingly, teaching that church members should refrain from eating meat except in case of dire necessity, and that this should be seen in light of Smith's teaching that animals have spirits. Apostle
George Teasdale taught the same thing, and held that eating
pork was a more serious breach of the Word of Wisdom than drinking tea or coffee. Despite these statements, restricting meat consumption was not given an explicit mention for worthiness in the LDS Church as the standards for obedience to the Word of Wisdom were made increasingly central to LDS Church doctrine and practice in the early 20th century. The increased emphasis on the Word of Wisdom took place during the presidency of
Heber J. Grant, a long-time enthusiastic promoter of the Word of Wisdom. Although Grant did not emphasize restricting meat consumption, he continued to interpret it as part of the counsel in the Word of Wisdom. In the 1937 General Conference, at 80 years old, Grant said he worked long hours "without fatigue and without feeling the least injury". He attributed his excellent health, in part, to eating very little meat. In a 1948 LDS general conference address, apostle
Joseph F. Merrill emphasized the importance of not eating meat as "freely as many Americans are doing". In 1950, apostle and plant scientist
John A. Widtsoe wrote, in relation to meat consumption, "they who wish to be well and gain the promised reward stated in the Word of Wisdom must obey all of the law, not just part of it as suits their whim or their appetite, or their notion of its meaning." As recently as 2012, official church spokesperson
Michael Otterson stated "the church has also encouraged limiting meat consumption in favor of grains, fruits and vegetables. To this day, the LDS Church's
hymnal includes a hymn (In Our Lovely Deseret) with the following lyrics: That the children may live long / And be beautiful and strong, / Tea and coffee and tobacco they despise, / Drink no liquor, and they eat / But a very little meat; / They are seeking to be great and good and wise. A student manual published by the church has suggested that limiting the consumption of meat to the wintertime may be to some degree of the time in which the "Word of Wisdom" was delivered by Smith:This verse has caused some to ask if meat should be eaten in the summer. Meat has more calories than fruits and vegetables, which some individuals may need fewer of in summer than winter. Also, before fruits and vegetables could be preserved, people often did not have enough other food to eat in winter. Spoiled meat can be fatal if eaten, and in former times meat spoiled more readily in summer than winter. Modern methods of refrigeration now make it possible to preserve meat in any season. The key word with respect to the use of meat is
sparingly.
Refined grain products In a pamphlet written in 1930 called
The Word of Wisdom, LDS Church apostle
John A. Widtsoe taught that
refined flour was contrary to the Word of Wisdom. The church, however, has never prohibited the use of refined flour.
Other areas Speculation exists concerning the use of alcohol as a cooking ingredient or "
alcohol-free" varieties of drinks. The LDS Church has taken no official stance on either. == Enstrom study regarding members of the LDS Church ==