4 ms·

And an even bigger one - coffee is extremely lucrative, so there are enormous amounts of money in play to make sure it stays legal/popular/'healthy'.

• nicoburns 6y ago
  Tobacco is/was also extremely lucrative. I don't think that's enough to protect it. But it's effect on societal productivity likely is.
  • grecy 6y ago
    As far as I'm aware Tobacco is still extremely profitable, despite being horrendously bad for health. If it were introduced today there's absolutely no doubt it wouldn't be allowed. I'd say that means it is being protected.
    • foolinaround 6y ago
      it is'nt protected per se, more like it got grand-fathered in. inertia and all that.
      • grecy 6y ago
        > it is'nt protected per se ...and you can guarantee a TON of people were absolutely certain the same was true about sugar not so long ago....