You may be aware that caffeine consumption is linked to an increased risk of hypertension and can adversely contribute to cardiovascular disorders. You may even know that it stresses the adrenal system – a system already on overload in most Americans. The severity of the risks of caffeine is, by and large, underreported in most media. Caffeine consumption is big business in this country, and most of the studies touting its benefits are funded by – you guessed it! – companies that profit when we drink the stuff. But, according to Dr. Jack James who is editor-in-chief of the Journal of Caffeine Research, caffeine dangers are very real. Caffeine is directly responsible for thousands of deaths each year, and tens of thousands of emergency room visits. When the indirect risks of caffeine are considered, the numbers are even more significant. Dr. James maintains that the disadvantages of caffeine can be – and are – lethal, and thinks it should be controlled as other drugs, like alcohol and nicotine, are controlled.