Little black straws 1

So the question was why do Americans put those little black straws in alcoholic drinks with ice and hot coffee?  Which plastics producer cunningly persuaded a nation it really was the best way to sip ice-chilled spirits of scalding coffee drinks.  One office colleague in Philly suggested it was to protect teeth as after bleaching, the straw protects the pearly whites.  But the case for the opposition says, oh really, then why don't they serve red wine with the little black straws?