It was a difficult day, but way easier than yesterday. Now I'd like to write something since there is like 15 minutes I have before the class starts.
Will caffeine become the next nicotine? Think about it carefully: it is a well-selling stimulant that has grown very fashionable and popular over the last few decades. It has mild effects, causes dependency and associates strongly with success and productivity, much like smoking cigarettes was advertised as something correlated with wealth.
From the physiological, or rather biochemical point of view, the effects of both coffee and smoking are mild. Nicotine constricts your blood vessels and brings blood pressure up a notch, while caffeine gives some sharpness and speeds the heart rate up. And they are both addictive: nicotine interferes with your breathing and emotion regulation systems, while caffeine screws up the circadian cycle. One could argue that caffeine withdrawal is generally less severe, but it doesn't mean caffeine is not harmful in the long run.
It is not data but an anecdote, of course: I have recently stopped drinking coffee and noticed how it actually affects me. Spoiler alert, it's very unpleasant, especially if I haven't had any protein- or fat-rich food beforehand, and seeing coffee being so heavily marketed lead me to these thoughts.
@academicalnerd interesting notes, however there are several varieties of "decaf" coffee, and there are some people, like myself, who are not negatively affected by caffeine. I've been known to doze off while holding and drinking a thermos of coffee.
@SmilingTexan
Caffeine metabolism is a bizzare thing. I knew a person who would use energy drink, white "monster" specifically, as a sleeping aid. This is, if I recall correctly, due to genetic anomaly. There is a minority of people who react to caffeine differently, this is also connected with some circadian rhythm shenanigans. I don't remember the specifics :p
@academicalnerd I wouldn't say it was a sleeping aid for me, just doesn't keep me awake. I remember my dad sometimes drinking a whole pot of coffee just before bed, I haven't been brave enough to try that.