Thumbs up: No more warning labels on coffee

Make that coffee an extra-large this morning. Heck, go back for another cup, or add a shot of espresso. And if you spill, feel free to mop up the mess with one of those ridiculous warning labels that won't be required on your morning cup of java after all. As we reported in April, a lawsuit demanding warning labels on coffee was filed under Proposition 65, a 1986 ballot initiative that requires businesses to warn their customers if they could be exposed to a chemical that causes cancer or is a suspected carcinogen.

The culprit in the coffee case was acrylamide, a naturally occurring chemical formed when coffee is roasted. In some studies, acrylamide resulted in an increased incidence of cancer in lab rats. But the World Health Organization recently concluded that acrylamide doesn't cause cancer in humans, and other studies have shown health benefits from drinking coffee in moderation (better not make that extra cup a habit). Citing the WHO determination, the state Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment is issuing new regulations that will eliminate the need for warning labels on coffee. So drink up - and thumbs up.

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