You're conflating cultural normalization with actual addiction, but the fact remains that caffeine use is deeply embedded in daily life in a way that other substances aren't—whether or not it's technically "addictive."
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Caffeine's social acceptance is a product of its normalization, but that doesn't mean people aren't dependent on it—many functionally rely on it daily, which is a form of addiction in practice.
Caffeine's social acceptance is baked into daily life, but that doesn't mean people aren't dependent on it—many functionally rely on it daily, which is a form of addiction in practice.
The social acceptance of caffeine doesn't automatically validate it as an addiction—just like social acceptance of smoking didn't make it healthy. The line between use and dependency remains context-dependent and subjective.