Evidence requires California to reject baseless decaf ban, NCA CEO to testify in State Assembly

News provided by

Apr 15, 2024, 19:15 ET

NEW YORK, April 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Scientific evidence clearly requires the California State Assembly to reject activists' baseless efforts to ban the most common type of decaffeinated coffee (European Method decaf), the National Coffee Association (NCA) plans to testify tomorrow (April 16) in the California State Assembly Committee on Health.

NCA President and CEO William "Bill" Murray will detail the robust body of scientific evidence establishing the safety of European Method decaf and call on legislators to reject California Assembly Bill 2066 and protect Californians' access to a safe product proven to be associated with significant health benefits.

NCA President and CEO Bill Murray commented:

"The activists sponsoring this bill have not presented any evidence to justify banning the most common type of decaf, because none exists.

In fact, decades of independent scientific evidence demonstrate that drinking European Method decaf, like all coffee, is associated with reduced risk of multiple cancers and chronic diseases. The World Health Organization, the American Cancer Society, the American Institute for Cancer Research, the World Cancer Research Fund, and California's own Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment agree."

NCA has also detailed the evidence establishing the safety of European Method decaf in comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), opposing a separate but related activist petition seeking a federal decaf ban. NCA's comment to FDA is available here.

Additional NCA resources: Everything you need to know about caffeine, Get the facts about decaf, Coffee & health from head to toe

About the National Coffee Association: The National Coffee Association (NCA) USA, Inc. is the leading trade association serving the U.S. coffee industry through education, advocacy, and connection. NCA members represent an estimated 90% of U.S. coffee commerce with small, medium, and large companies, including growers, importers, exporters, traders, brokers, freight forwarders, roasters, manufacturers, retailers, and allied companies.

SOURCE National Coffee Association