Do you think caffeine should be considered a drug? Like cigarettes and alcohol? Do you think they should make it to where you have to be like 18 or 21yrs to buy caffeine based products?

Although caffeine is a drug, it's nowhere near as dangerous as cigarettes or alcohol. Caffeine isn't really dangerous unless you have a heart problem or if you go nuts and drink about 7 energy drinks.

Yes, it is a stimulant, like tobacco, but it isn't close to as dangerous as any other drug, the only way it can be dangerous is if you have like 30 cups of coffee in a day or 4 energy drinks. It is addictive. So my final answer is maybe, because it is a drug, but in the same way, it is not.

Although lots of people are addicted to it, I don't think that it should be considered as a drug, because it hasn't all these side effects of drugs.

Caffeine is a drug...

The definition of a drug according to an oxford dictionary is:

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a medicine or other substance which has a marked effect when taken into the body. 2 a substance with stimulant effects.

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1. Well it is pretty easy to figure out that caffeine has an effect on the body... It keeps you awake, it can lead to the deprivation of calcium, etc.

2. Well, duh, caffeine has a great stimulant effect by causing you to be hyper and prevent your from falling asleep.

Caffeine is a drug, although people don't think of it that way, because it is not as bad as others like nicotine or meth...

Like hypermonkey said, "Although caffeine is a drug, it's nowhere near as dangerous as cigarettes or alcohol". Yes, it is a drug, but not as dangerous...

As some people already said, it is a drug. Now whether it should have a age limit or not is a different question. It's effects aren't that dangerous so basically it doesn't matter. You'll drink yourself to death before you die of a caffeine overdose.

Caffiene is most definetly a drug, but in drinks even energy drings the amount in them is no where near enough to consitute needing a prescription, and yes there are prescription caffiene pills. Side affects are reported most common being elevated heart rate blood presure headaches and dizziness, more sever but uncommon being heart attack rupturong viens areteries. So in order to reach a prescription dose you'd have to boil down drap and condense around 40 energy drinks 160 cans of pop you get the idea. lol

I don't that caffeine should be considered a drug because it doesn't have the effects as drugs do and although people can addicted to it.

No way should it be considered a drug. To be 18 or 21 to buy pop? I don't think so kids thrive on that stuff

However it depends on what kind of caffeine you are taking. If your popping caffeine pills then maybe then it should be considered dangerous same with energy drinks. I take caffeine daily and no effect on me but take a few caffeine pills and your cranked up Taking too much of it will explode your heart no joke so to people who say it can't be as dangerous as cigs or liquor think again

If you were to do the following in excess you will see which is more healthy:

1. Overdose on liquor
2. Overdose on caffeine
3. Overdose on cigs

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WINNER Cigarettes = most healthy cause you can't overdose on those Liquor and caffeine can kill you in one night if you do to much of them, but with cigs you'll survive

Random fact time:

Caffeine is a drug. Specifically it is classified as a narcotic because it is addicting and psychoactive, and it is in fact the only legal narcotic in the world. Simple internet searches can tell you this.

That said, I don't think that it needs the controlling that tobacco and alcohol do because... well... caffeine can't give you cancer. Yes, it is bad for you if you have too much of it but honestly so is everything else that we put into our bodies.

i feel like the term drug is used so loosely now a days that i find it a bit ridiculous. When i think of the word drug it should be things like cocaine or heroine, not coffee.

No. I don't really see the reason on why it should be. Even if it was, it's not as strong as other drugs at least.

Basicly it is adrug,but i dont think its strong enough to have to regulate.Its mmm mmm good though.

well, I don't think it should be a LAW that people 18 and over are allowed to drink. I remember as a kid my mother telling me...you can't have coffee until you're legal! LOL. As far as caffeine being a drug...No I don't think it's a drug or anywhere near being considered a drug. Caffeine is in all the sodas that we all love! Unless you only drink bottled water or water. however, I don't think that young kids should drink any coffee. They're hyper enough as it is. LOL.

I put no, because I believe that if it was openly said to be a drug, then I think they'd start putting age limits on the ammounts you can consume and be treating it like a hallucinogen or some other form of serious drug. For alot of people with no time or energy to get things done in a day like work and school, it is a lifesaver. I'll admit it, I am a caffeine whore. XD

the way my uncle drinks it it should be banned from the state to him it is indeed and with out a doubt a very addictive drug.....he drinks like 4 or 5 cups a day

I don't drink lots of caffeine but I don't think anyone under 15 should be drinking it.
Not only is it bad for your nervous system, but it also makes your teeth brown n stuff.
My mom drinks alot of coffee. She's been drinking it since she was really little.
My grandma used to roast fresh coffee beans and my mom now eats raw ground coffee or beans.
She can drink black coffee without sugar or cream. I wouldn't be able to do that ever!
I put like 6 packs of sugar, 10 little milk creme cup thingies, and 4 packs of powdered creme.
Haha I'm not that used to coffee. xD

It is a drug. I take it often, but this drug is not one that is like street sold crack or non-medical weed. It's more of a drug that is not noticed as one by most.

My Concerta actually has caffeine in it as part of the chemical composition. It is a very helpful drug for people who have ADHD, actually. I have been taking in caffeine for years, and it's very helpful for me.

To ban caffeine would be an injustice for those who need it like me. If you ban it, think about how many children with ADHD would be effected negatively? It's like taking medical weed away from those who are gonna die. It's not really helping.

Those who think it is bad for everyone, I've been drinking it for years. I started when I was really young if you count soft drinks. I got into coffee by 11 or 12. I drink it three times a day, and drink soft drinks often, as well. I take Concerta everyday, and the results of all this is very positive. Those with ADHD and possibly even other chemical imbalances in the brain are effected positively by this drug.

It only is bad for you if you overdose, like every drug and vitamin. It only effects one negatively if it's abused or taken too much. I know it's not a very well-known fact that caffeine is helpful for those with chemical imbalances in the brain, but now you know. It even helps my depression, and anxiety. It's a blessing for the medical field, if I've seen any such thing. It even helps people with sleeping problems sometimes.

No, it should not be considered a drug! If it was, then I would be considered a druggy. If cigarettes and alcohol are not considered drugs, then caffeine should never be.

EDIT: What I meant was that they aren't illegal, so caffeine products should not be, I know that Tobaco, Alcohol and caffeine are all already considered drugs.

SilverMaestro : Actually, I'm pretty sure alcohol and tobacco are considered drugs. They just aren't illegal because they make a crapload of money, and the industries kinda help keep our economy up. Why else would something that is dangerous for our health be legal? It makes money. Besides. The attempts at making alcohol illegal led to public outrage.