Avoiding using the word ‘addiction’ is does not make it scientifically irrelevant

No the DSM-V did that

Science says caffeine isn’t addicting

Science doesn't use the term, it is antiquated and no longer scientifically relevant. Science says that caffeine does not cause substance use disorders.

Numerous articles still use the word addiction in them

Numerous articles define caffeine as addictive as well

Society says caffeine isn’t addicting otherwise it wouldn’t allow children to consume it

You're so close to understanding what I'm wanting from this thread and this conversation. Caffeine is a problematic drug that we take too lightly. I do not believe we should be giving it to children, nor do I believe adults should use it frequently.

But, to your point, society does say that caffeine is addicting (we're in a thread that is sufficient proof of that) but society agrees that the "addiction" is minor enough that it is not a big deal. I'm also sure many people would agree that sugar is addictive and yet we feed that to kids more than anyone else.

People that have had at least 2nd hand experience with actual addiction think caffeine isn’t addicting because JFC they KNOW better

The "addictiveness" of one thing being more severe does not mean a less severe substance cannot also be "addictive". Because a gun only kills one person and nuclear warhead kills millions does not mean the gun cannot be described as lethal.

You still haven’t shown anybody who’s opinion is worth listening to that thinks caffeine is addicting

Because I don't work in opinions, I work in science. The DSM-V says (and I can't believe I'm stating this for a fifth time, I'll put it in capitalized letters to make sure you see it) ADDICTION IS NOT A SCIENTIFIC TERM, so nobody will say that anything is addictive in scientific contexts because that would be a scientifically invalid statement.

Karens sitting at a brunch table playfully giggling about their lack of self control over their love for cafe mochas...

Nice, condescension and sexism. Please, I want to have a civil conversation with you about this topic, you do not need to go disparaging me or others to make your point.

You [argue]... the DSM matters...

You stated the DSM matters. You started the conversation with it.

withdrawal is not the definition of addiction

No, it is not, because "addiction" is not defined in the DSM-V besides a note about how the DSM-V does not use the term.

Religion shouldn’t be listened to

In scientific contexts, yes. Absolutely I believe that.

that everything besides your opinion doesn’t matter is a you problem.

I am quite literally citing sources that are not my opinion but are instead current scientific reality or common interpretations. My opinion just happens to agree with the science and I am not bothered by non-scientists using a non-scientific word in whatever way gets the conversation going. I am also citing the opinions of 90% of individuals in this thread - they seem to agree that caffeine is addictive.

I really want to come to an understanding between us and find some place to land.

I understand your perspective - you don't want people to use a term that you feel has a specific definition because you feel that it trivializes your experience - and I think it's not an unreasonable thing to want. I don't want to trivialize those suffering from substance use disorders.

But my perspective is that people are using "addiction" as a communication tool in a non-scientific context and that there is no harm in that. It gets the point across and we are able to successfully communicate about the topic. Sidelining the conversation with corrections on terminology is really not helpful, especially when that terminology is no longer scientifically relevant.

We should be discussing the impacts of caffeine on our bodies and our society, not whether or not one word is better than the other.