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Caffeine is the world's most popular drug.
The white, bitter-tasting, crystalline substance was first isolated from coffee in 1820. The origins of the words reflect the spread of the beverage into Europe via Arabia and Turkey from north-east Africa, where coffee trees were cultivated in the 6th century. Coffee began to be popular in Europe in the 17th century. By the 18th century plantations had been established in Indonesia and the West Indies. The caffeine content of coffee beans varies according to the species of the coffee plant.