Can Mormons Drink Alcohol, Coffee or Tea?

Most faithful Mormons live their entire lives without ever drinking alcohol. This may seem surprising in a world where alcohol plays a significant role in social gatherings, celebrations, and even relaxation. For Mormons, however, alcohol is not only avoided but can often be demonized and seen as a sign of worldly wickedness.

The Word of Wisdom (Momron Scripture Health Code)

The Word of Wisdom is a health code found in Doctrine and Covenants 89, a section of Mormon scripture. The Doctrine and Covenants is a collection of revelations and teachings received by Joseph Smith, the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This specific revelation outlines dietary guidelines intended to help members maintain both physical health and spiritual purity.

The Rules Mormon Members Need to Follow:

While the Word of Wisdom includes recommendations for healthy living, members tend to focus almost entirely on its prohibitions. This selective emphasis is a common trend in many of the church’s guidelines, where certain rules are prioritized while others are largely ignored.

Here are the guidelines members discuss and follow the most:

• No alcohol.
• No tobacco (expanded to prohibit smoking of any form).
• No coffee or tea.
• No illegal or recreational drugs.
• Avoid harmful substances.
• No caffeine (ambiguous guideline followed by some but not all).

The Blessings Promised

Members who follow the Word of Wisdom are promised the following blessings:

• Health and strength: Improved physical well-being.
• Wisdom and knowledge: Greater mental clarity and understanding.
• Endurance: The ability to “run and not be weary” and “walk and not faint.”
• Divine protection: Assurance that the “destroying angel” will pass by, as it did for the Israelites in Egypt.

What Does the Word of Wisdom Actually Say?

The Word of Wisdom is broken into 21 verses. Below is a summary of each verse without all of the scriptural jargon.

Verbatim	Summary
1 A Word of Wisdom, for the benefit of the council of high priests, assembled in Kirtland, and the church, and also the saints in Zion—	A Word of Wisdom for everyone in the church—
2 To be sent greeting; not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the word of wisdom, showing forth the order and will of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days—	Not meant to be a commandment, just some advice from God to help out people in these days—
3 Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints.	If you follow this advice, you’ll get special blessings. This advice is designed so that even the weakest church members can follow it.
4 Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation—	Because there’s lots of evil today, these guidelines are meant to protect you.
5 That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him.	Wine and strong drinks are not good (except for sacrament).
6 And, behold, this should be wine, yea, pure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make.	Sacramental wine should be homemade grape wine.
7 And, again, strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies.	Strong drinks are not for drinking but for washing your body.
8 And again, tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill.	Tobacco is not meant for men, but as an herb for bruised or sick cattle.
9 And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly.	Hot drinks are prohibited.
10 And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—	Wholesome herbs are meant for the use of man.
11 Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving.	Eat herbs and fruits in their seasons with gratitude.
12 Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;	Eat meat sparingly.
13 And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.	Only eat meat in times of winter, cold, or famine.
14 All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth;	All grain is meant for men and beasts.
15 And these hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger.	Meat from the previously mentioned animals is only made for the use of men in famine and excess of hunger.
16 All grain is good for the food of man; as also the fruit of the vine; that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground—	All grain is good for food as is the fruit of the vine or wherever fruit grows.
17 Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain.	Wheat is for men, corn is for oxen, oats are for horses, rye is for fowls and swine and for beasts of the field, barley is for all useful animals, and grains can be used for mild drinks.
18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;	Those who follow these rules will be healthy.
19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;	Those who follow these rules will be wise.
20 And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.	Those who follow these rules will be able to run without tiring and walk without fainting.
21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.	Those who follow these rules will be divinely protected like the Israelites were protected from the destroying angel in Egypt.

The Rules Mormons Don’t Follow

The original Word of Wisdom includes many guidelines that members largely ignore or have been changed since they were given:

• The Word of Wisdom is not a commandment.
• Wine is ok for sacrament.
• Strong drinks (alcohol) should be used to wash your body.
• Eat wholesome herbs, fruit in their season, and grains.
• Only eat meat in times of winter, cold, or famine.
• Specific grains are for specific animals.

And the revelation does not include many of the guidelines that are frequently taught:

• No smoking of any substance (only tobacco is mentioned).
• No iced coffee or tea.
• No illegal or recreational drugs.
• Avoid harmful substances.
• No caffeine (ambiguous guideline followed by some but not all).

So where do these changes or additional guidelines come from?

The Evolution of the Word of Wisdom

The Word of Wisdom was originally introduced in 1833. After Joseph Smith’s wife complained about the tobacco mess created by church leaders during meetings, Joseph supposedly sought divine guidance on the matter.

Joseph Smith is known to have incorporated many existing popular ideas into the doctrine he taught. The 1830s saw the rise of temperance movements and dietary reformers like Sylvester Graham (whom Graham crackers are named after).

He promoted a grain-based diet and the avoidance of stimulants such as alcohol and tobacco. Many principles in the Word of Wisdom align closely with these trends, leading to speculation that popular health ideas might have shaped the revelation’s content.

As written in the revelation, the Word of Wisdom was initially conveyed to be advice rather than a strict commandment. Early on, even Joseph Smith himself didn’t adhere strictly to these guidelines and supposedly even smoked a cigar after delivering a sermon on the topic. But over time the Word of Wisdom gradually evolved into a more enforced doctrine.

In the early 20th century, under President Joseph F. Smith, the church began to place greater emphasis on avoiding alcohol, tobacco, tea, and coffee, though it still wasn’t universally required. By 1921, President Heber J. Grant made adherence to these guidelines a prerequisite for entering the temple, marking a significant shift toward stricter observance.

As modern interpretations of the Word of Wisdom have expanded, church leaders have addressed substances that were not part of the original revelation. Marijuana, vaping, and recreational drugs have all been explicitly condemned, aligning with the broader principle of avoiding harmful substances.

Caffeine, though not mentioned in the Word of Wisdom, remains a subject of personal interpretation, with some members choosing to avoid it, while others consume it without issue. The question of using alcohol in cooking or for marijuana for medicinal purposes also remains a point of discussion, with the general interpretation leaning toward abstention.

The Consequences of Breaking (and Keeping) the Word of Wisdom

Physical Consequences

Members who follow the Word of Wisdom are promised health, endurance, and strength. Many Mormons tout that their health, beauty, or athletic abilities are a result of their adherence to these guidelines. In addition to these blessings, church doctrine frequently emphasizes the importance of agency and personal choice. Members will argue that their faithfulness to the Word of Wisdom prevents them from being susceptible to addiction and vice, thereby preserving their power of agency.

Spiritual Consequences

Obedience to these guidelines is believed to enhance one’s wisdom and clarity, providing greater insight and guidance through the Holy Ghost. Moreover, adhering to the Word of Wisdom is a prerequisite for participating in temple ordinances, which are essential to achieving salvation in Mormon theology. In other words, drinking coffee can keep you out of Mormon heaven.

Social Consequences

On a personal level, adherence to the Word of Wisdom acts as a visible marker of faithfulness within Mormon culture. Those who strictly observe the guidelines are seen as more devout and are more often rewarded with positions of trust and leadership.

Failing to comply with these rules often leads to intense social judgment or alienation. Members are encouraged to “avoid the appearance of evil,” often interpreted as avoiding anything associated with rule-breaking whatsoever. This often means that rule-breakers are ostracized, places of sin like bars are completely avoided, and harmless objects that could at all denote rule-breaking (like a red Solo cup or hot cocoa in a Starbucks cup) are not to be used.

To illustrate how seriously Mormons take not only their rules but the appearance of keeping the rules, L. Tom Perry, a long-time apostle of the church, told stories of himself ordering milk at events with open bars as a way to visibly demonstrate that he did not drink alcohol. Heavens forbid a glass of water be mistaken for vodka.

This intentional social separation, while fostering a sense of communal belonging within the church, can also lead to a “holier-than-thou” mentality. Some members may feel morally superior to non-members or those who don’t follow the guidelines, which can result in the demonization of the outside world.