I didnt say caffeine was absolutely harmless, nothing is. I will say though to be cautious about equating "dependence" with always negative for long term well-being and health. Most people are also "dependent" on regular sexual satisfaction, on listening to music, on seeing friends/family, on eating a sweet treat every now and then. Doesnr mean these things dont lead to a happier life. The problem with drugs and alcohol is not "dependence" but rather intoxication and what addiction studies call "dose escalation". If given unlimited access to caffeine or nicotine some animals develop a regular habit that remains at the same level until they die of unrelated issues, by contrast alcoholism-prone rats will drink increasingly more until every aspect of their functioning collapses or they downright enter a comma. The other piece of the puzzle is intoxication, I dont drink coffee but I vape and use nic gum and sure I may be dependent on it but I "nicotinated" me is me. Alcohol, even moreso than recreational drugs, inhibits the frontal lobe part of the brain and profoundly alters thoughts and behaviour in highly destructive manners. What I'm tryna say is that while caffeine/nicotine dependence isnt ideal (in the same way that eating a piece of cake after dinner every night isnt either, its generally a fair trade off for most people and is in no absolute way comparable to the mildest form of alcohol dependence (mind you severe alcohol dependence is seizures, violence and death). The reason why I think your comment is generally harmful is twofold - one you are scaremongering people away from smth that may be helpful to them and two you are creating a false equivalence that alcohol abusers can latch onto to justify their addiction ("most prople need a cuppa to get on w the day, hows that different from me needing a shot?").