Some activist are taking aim at the morning cuppa saying coffee can cause addiction. and they have enlisted the help of various mayors to support their cause. “We hope to raise awareness to the risks of this ubiquitous drug,” says Marina Kushner, founder of the Caffeine Awareness Alliance – a New York City nonprofit group that pushes a soybean-based coffee substitute – which sponsors the March 2006 as National Caffeine Awareness Month. …(att.3)

New York – Some activist are taking aim at the morning cuppa saying coffee can cause addiction. and they have enlisted the help of various mayors to support their cause.

“We hope to raise awareness to the risks of this ubiquitous drug,” says Marina Kushner, founder of the Caffeine Awareness Alliance – a New York City nonprofit group that pushes a soybean-based coffee substitute – which sponsors the March 2006 as National Caffeine Awareness Month. 

“Most caffeine addicts have no idea that they are addicts. But, with as little as 200 mg of caffeine, you can experience typical addictive symptoms such as irritability, restlessness, tension, insomnia, excitement, and gastrointestinal disturbance,” says Kushner.

“If you boost that level to more than 1 gram (1000 mg), you can get irregular heartbeats, panic and anxiety disorders, muscle twitching, incoherent speech, excessive urination, flushed skin, and depression. And, believe it or not, when you take over 5 grams of caffeine, the results can be fatal,” says Kushner.

“This is one addiction you want to kick quickly!” adds Kushner, who is selling a book, “The Truth About Caffeine- How Companies that Promote it Deceive Us and What We Can do About it.”

And Kushner has supporters.

Dennis R. Yates, the mayor of Chino, California has recently signed the proclamation declaring March 2006 as National Caffeine Awareness Month. This will be the second year for Chino in hosting the event. The proclamation states that “physical and mental health care are immeasurably important to the overall well-being of the citizen.”

According to Yates, “caffeine consumption can pose a significant hazard to health and longevity,” as consumption of the dangerous drug is “linked to heart disease, pancreas and bladder cancer, hypoglycemia, and central nervous system disorders.”

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders signed a proclamation declaring National Caffeine Awareness Month in his city as well.

The cities of Brentwood, Santa Cruz and Los Angeles have also issued similar proclamations and acknowledgements.

The movement also has supporters outside of California.

Two Washington state mayors have also recently signed the proclamation: Robert Welch of Richland, and Rosemarie Ives of Redmond.

According to a Feb 9. article in the Plain Dealer, Shaker Heights mayor Judith Rawson has also signed the proclamation, and noted that mayors in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Washington, D.C., “are among the cities that have issued proclamations about the health risks of caffeine. Nebraska, New Jersey and Wisconsin also issued proclamations.”