The Watchtower Society cited two chief reasons why smoking should be a disfellowship offense. First, it defiles the body. Second, it betrays a lack of love on account of the second hand smoke that pollutes the air for everyone else.
But, is this really so? I can remember seeing the reprint on that article. They had banned smoking of weed earlier in 1973. This time, they are going after tobacco. But, when one looks at the other things they went after, one would wonder if love of neighbor is the chief reason. They banned chewing tobacco, methadone maintenance, and betel nut at the same time. None of these are associated with second-hand effects. And, there are medicinal uses for betel nut, though much debate exists whether the benefits are worth the damage the betel nut causes.
Take betel nut, for instance. People chew the stuff and spit out the remnants on the street in parts of southeast Asia where the nut grows. The stuff is addictive like tobacco, and it causes mouth and stomach cancer and can ruin the gums. But unlike smoked tobacco, there is no sidestream effects on those who choose to use betel nut. For sure, why would one want to disfellowship people, thus splitting families, because one member cannot or will not give up betel nut? Is that loving?
I think there was one chief reason why the Watchtower Society banned smoking and chewing betel nut (and methadone maintenance). Control. People that use those substances can live reasonably normal lives (though I would not recommend starting smoking or using betel nut due to the health issues, and I would not recommend someone starting methadone except as a replacement for existing heroin addiction). But, what the Watchtower Society wants is another tool to split families. You see, it is often Grandma or Grandpa that refuse to give up smoking or betel nut. And if that happens, the children will lose a grandparent. And guess what fills in? More field circus!
And this often happens to split children off. One of them can't stand the stress of too much field circus and hounding to pioneer during every school recess. So they start smoking (in Asia, they may also start using betel nut), thinking it will help with the stress. That causes that child to be cut off, and the other members are asked to shun him/her for this "serious offense". And, of course the substitute is (drum roll) FIELD CIRCUS! Of course the other members are terrified that they will get cut off like that, and that they will get destroyed in a horrible way, if they start smoking or using betel nut. Control is maintained.
No, I am in no way condoning using tobacco, betel nut, or methadone (except to replace heroin). But, for those who are already hooked on one or more of these products, I do not see any need to cut them off from their families or bust up friendships because one of them uses one or more of them. True, smoking does put secondhand smoke in the air that can damage children's health and contribute to allergies and other problems. And even mainstream allopathic doctors highly recommend that smokers quit. But, people that choose to do it should not be lumped as wicked. Stupid, maybe. But wicked? They will get paid in full when the health consequences hit. The Watchtower Society doesn't need to add to it by cutting off family members that choose to use these products.
...OUTLAW