God’s Kingdom Rules!, “Chapter 11: Moral Refinements—Reflecting God’s Holiness”
“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’.
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Provenance and verification note for God’s Kingdom Rules!, Chapter 11: Moral Refinements—Reflecting God’s Holiness
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