Letter to the Editor of the "Ensign" Magazine

The July, 2008 issue of the "Ensign" article, "Cancer, Nutrition, & the Word of Wisdom", was a good read with good counsel, but I wish it had included more complete information about the bad effects of coffee and tea.
The article's sole focus on caffeine as the noxious part of those drinks could reinforce some members' belief that simply drinking decaffeinated coffee and tea is in accordance with the Lord's revealed counsel and admonitions.
In point of fact, coffee and tea include a host of harmful substances, including tannic acid, which is used commercially to tan leather.
It's important to emphasize that the Lord tells us not to use coffee and tea, period.