If it hadn't been for the Pope...

5 Historical Attempts to Ban Coffee

Mecca: Banned!

Constantinople: Banned!

Sweden: Banned! (Death by coffee?! Speaking as an expat Minnesotan, this has me scratching my head.)

Prussia: Discouraged. (Think about that for a minute.)

Italy: But for Pope Clement VIII, Italy might have banned coffee. (Yes, his record on matters concerning the Jews wasn’t enlightened, thereby proving he was a man of his time.)

(via Mental Floss)

Ironic illustration…