Getting to the Bottom of the Coffee Debate: Is it Safe to Drink?
The decision by a Los Angeles County Superior Court that coffee should carry a warning that it contains a carcinogenic chemical ignited controversy about the expansiveness of Prop 65 and the value of mandated warnings that may not comport with scientific and medical evidence. This tension is especially obvious in this case, where the health effects (and benefits) of coffee have long been studied and understood. But Prop 65 lawsuits often result in mandatory warnings if the plaintiff can show evidence of even a tiny amount of a certain carcinogen, which may be interpreted as proof that the product poses…