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Doctrine changes · Claim record

On 1 June 1973 The Watchtower classified nicotine with addictive drugs, barred tobacco users from baptism, gave baptised users a period such as six months to stop, and directed that those who would not be removed from the congregation.

Claim ID claim-doctrine-tobacco-1973-disfellowshippingConcerns 1 June 1973Explicit statement
Explicit statement · 1 June 1973 Verified

On 1 June 1973 The Watchtower classified nicotine with addictive drugs, barred tobacco users from baptism, gave baptised users a period such as six months to stop, and directed that those who would not be removed from the congregation. The Watchtower, 1 June 1973God’s Kingdom Rules!, 2014

The organisation’s position or later explanation: God’s Kingdom Rules! (2014) calls this ‘a further moral refinement’ brought about by Christ, and the organisation’s index lists it under ‘1973, tobacco and other harmful addictives’ among beliefs clarified.

Show the evidence (2 sources)
Primary JW publication Verified

The Watchtower, “Keeping God’s Congregation Clean in the Time of His Judgment”

1 June 1973 · pp.340-341 · pars. 22, 24 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“They may now be given a reasonable period of time, such as six months, in which to free themselves of the addiction. … If persons already baptized are not willing to abandon their addiction to damaging and enslaving products, what then? … They should therefore be removed from the congregation due to such conduct unbecoming a Christian.”

The article classifies nicotine with addictive drugs, says those still using tobacco do not qualify for baptism, gives already-baptised users about six months to stop, and provides for expulsion if they do not. The two quoted sentences are paragraphs 22 and 24.

Official source

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. Article opened on the Watchtower Online Library on 19 September 2026 and read in full. Paragraph 22 sits after the page 340 marker and paragraph 24 begins immediately after the page 341 marker; the article runs pp. 336-343.

Corroborated by. src-chg-p-km-1974-02-employment-tobacco, src-chg-p-kr-2014-ch11-tobacco

Notes. The ellipsis joins paragraph 22 to paragraph 24; the intervening paragraph 23 compares tobacco withdrawal with withdrawal from hard drugs.

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-chg-p-w-1973-0601-congregation-clean

Primary JW publication Verified

God’s Kingdom Rules!, “Chapter 11: Moral Refinements—Reflecting God’s Holiness”

2014 · pp.111-112 · par. 13 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“In 1973 a further moral refinement came. The Watchtower of June 1 explained that no Witness of Jehovah could remain in good standing in the congregation while carrying on this death-dealing, defiling, and unloving practice. Those who refused to give up the misuse of tobacco were to be disfellowshipped.”

The 2014 history describes the 1973 decision as a refinement brought about by Christ, and a footnote adds that ‘the misuse of tobacco includes smoking it, chewing it, or cultivating it for such uses’.

Official source

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. Chapter opened on the Watchtower Online Library on 19 September 2026. Paragraph 12 straddles the page 112 marker and paragraph 13 follows it, so paragraph 13 is on page 112; the chapter runs pp. 108-117.

Corroborated by. src-chg-p-w-1973-0601-congregation-clean

Notes. The organisation’s current framing of the 1973 change.

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-chg-p-kr-2014-ch11-tobacco

Claim page

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