Why was there such a gradual approach to accepting the Word of Wisdom as a commandment? President Joseph F. Smith offered the following opinion: “The reason undoubtedly why the Word of Wisdom was given—as not by ‘commandment or constraint’ was that at that time, at least, if it had been given as a commandment it would have brought every man, addicted to the use of these noxious things, under condemnation; so the Lord was merciful and gave them a chance to overcome, before He brought them under the law.”-
("What You Don’t Know About the 100 Most Important Events in Church History", Quoted in LDSLiving.com
Other Church leaders advocated a more measured approach. When a theater employee apologized for giving President David O. McKay a cup with the Coca-Cola logo on the outside, the prophet quipped, “I don’t care what it says on the cup, as long as there is a Coke in the cup.”
(David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism, by Gregory A. Prince, Wm. Robert Wright, Quoted in LDSLiving.com)
See also https://www.fairmormon.org/answers/Word_of_Wisdom/History_and_implementation
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