There are more coffee drug addicts in the US than any other drug addict of any other kind. More than cocaine or heroin even marijuana stated by Stephen Cherniske in his book, Caffeine Blues. The main substance is caffeine. Does anyone know how much caffeine is in a 6 oz cup of coffee? There is 100 mg. of caffeine in a small mug of coffee or 6 oz. You may think so what, who cares, but it takes 6 hrs for 100 mg. to cycle out of your system. A small or Tall cup of coffee at Starbucks is 12oz. That is 200 mg of caffeine. So if you drink your Starbucks at 3:00pm, then by 9:00pm, there is about 100mg still left in your system. You will still probably be able to fall asleep, but your body will be deprived of the benefits of deep sleep. Again you must think, "Who cares, I still get my eight hours of sleep." But the deficit can add up fast and you will feel the toll on your body. That is why the next day you feel worse, so you need to replenish your system with caffeine. The cycle continues day after day, and that's why it is so easily addictive.
             We need to realize just how enormous the caffeine industry has become, how many sources and forms of caffeine are out there on the market, and what the benefits and consequences of caffeine entails. Since the caffeine industry is so vast I want to let you know about some of the major offenders and how they can affect your lives.
             As I just stated most Americans get caffeine from coffee. According to the 2002 World Almanac, in the year 2000 the United States imported $2.3 billion dollars in sales. Everyone can see how this is evident by the growing number of coffee houses on every street corner. Major supermarkets such as Vons and Albertsons have joined with Starbucks to offer coffee to ongoing shoppers. They conveniently locate their miniature coffee shops at the entrance as to lure shoppers over with the hypnotizing smell. Now even the automotive industry has joined the bandwago...