Mormons told to stay away from fancy coffee, vaping and green tea
- An article in the church’s youth magazine reminded younger members that their religion prohibits ‘hot drinks’ and harmful or habit-forming substances
- Contradictions abound, however, between what the church dictates and members’ 21st-century consumption habits
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wants to make clear that vaping, green tea and fancy coffee drinks are off limits under the religion’s dietary code meant to keep members from consuming unhealthy substances.
Church leaders pointed to a recent article in New Era, the church’s magazine for youth, reminding young people that the Word of Wisdom prohibits “hot drinks” – understood to mean tea and coffee – and harmful or habit-forming substances. E-cigarettes are highly addictive, “iced tea is still tea” and any drink ending in “-ccino” probably has coffee and therefore breaks the rules, the church wrote.
Recreational marijuana is also banned, church leaders said, but medical marijuana and opioids are fine when used as prescribed by a doctor. The church had previously said it approved of medical marijuana in certain circumstances, but last year it opposed a medical marijuana bill in Utah that it said went too far.
Still, experts and church members said the clarifications raised as many questions as they answered: Why is iced tea off limits if it’s cold? What’s the church’s stance on coffee-flavoured desserts? Are drinks with green-tea extract OK?
To Lauren Lethbridge, editor of Brigham Young University’s student newspaper, the Universe, following the Word of Wisdom is about obedience to the church. She said her friends have been talking about the clarification that green tea violates the rules because several of them drink juices with green-tea extract. Many of them feel fine about the extract, Lethbridge said, but one friend vowed to throw out her drinks immediately.