The Sikh Rehat Maryada, as the authoritative code of conduct, speaks with great clarity regarding tobacco, alcohol, and intoxicating drugs. It explicitly forbids a Sikh from consuming tobacco in any form, identifying this as one of the major prohibitions (kurahits or bajjar kurehats) for an initiated Sikh. Smoking, chewing, or otherwise using tobacco is treated not merely as a personal weakness but as a serious breach of discipline. This strict stance reflects the understanding that such habits are incompatible with the dignity and spiritual responsibility expected of one who has offered life to the Guru.

In the same spirit, the Rehat Maryada categorically prohibits the drinking of alcohol and the use of intoxicating liquors. Any substance that intoxicates or clouds the mind, including narcotic drugs such as opium or bhang, falls under this ban when taken for intoxication or recreation. The code extends this prohibition beyond mere consumption to the broader sphere of preparing, serving, or dealing in such intoxicants, marking them as contrary to Sikh discipline. Violation of these norms is treated as a grave matter, particularly for an Amritdhari Sikh, for whom such conduct may necessitate formal repentance and a return to the discipline of initiation.

Underlying these injunctions is a consistent spiritual rationale: intoxicants are seen as obstacles to mental clarity and to sustained remembrance of the Divine Name. The Rehat Maryada emphasizes that a Sikh is called to maintain a consciousness that is lucid, disciplined, and receptive to spiritual insight, rather than dulled or distorted by chemical influence. Within this framework, recreational or intoxicating use of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco stands in direct opposition to the ideal of a life oriented toward spiritual awareness and ethical responsibility.