National Coffee Day is September 29, but before we celebrate we need to explore the idea of cancer and coffee. Is it possible your morning coffee is giving you cancer?

Every morning, hundreds, and possibly thousands of Grand Valley commuters head off to work with coffee cup in hand, or stop at Starbucks, a convenience store, or one of the many coffee shops and shacks around and start the day with a hot brew. It's what we do. We love our coffee.

According to FOX news, the coffee industry concedes there is a cancer-causing chemical in coffee, but it says the minute levels are harmless. A non-profit group, though, is going to court in an effort to get cancer warnings posted on all coffee labels in California. It could be the start of a nationwide trend.

The question is, do consumers really want to know about potentially harmful chemicals in things they enjoy so much like coffee, soft drinks, and foot-long hotdogs? Even if we ate a diet of nothing but fruits and vegetables and fresh spring water, it seems nearly impossible to eliminate every possible health hazard.

Perhaps the bigger question is do consumers really care? If you knew for a fact there was a cancer-causing chemical in coffee, no matter how big or small the level, would you stop drinking it?

Millions of Americans continue to smoke despite cancer warnings on cigarette packaging, and it's likely the same would be true for coffee. We like what we like, and most of us are not going to be deterred by any potential health hazards. I haven't seen any warning labels on a sack of donuts telling me I could get fat from eating them, but I don't think it would matter anyway.

I plan to celebrate National Coffee Day with an extra cup -- and I might even do something completely out of the ordinary and find myself a pumpkin spice. Coffee may, in fact, cause cancer, but I doubt that it's any worse for me than a lot of other things I consume. So, pour me another cup.

BONUS VIDEO: Photo highlights from Downtown Grand Junction Car Show

 

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