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The WHO declared aspartame "possibly" causes cancer. Here’s what that means. | Vox (www.vox.com)

submitted 2 years ago by ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net to c/science@lemmy.world

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[-] Etterra@lemmy.world 22 points 2 years ago

Realistically what it means is that millions of people will react with "meh, still gonna use it." I mean, have you met humans? We knew lead was toxic since at least the Roman era, but that didn't stop us from using it in everything - including food and drink.

[-] FlowVoid@lemmy.world 17 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

The difference is that you can completely avoid lead poisoning if you eliminate exposure to lead, but you can't completely avoid cancer even if you eliminate exposure to carcinogens.

And eliminating exposure to aspartame would have only a minimal effect, at best, on your overall risk of cancer.

[-] SlopppyEngineer@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago

And they'll do that while standing in bright sunlight without sunscreen, drinking beer, eating red meat, processed food, candy with real sugar and driving in fossil fuel cars which are in the same or higher category of cancer risks.

[-] FlowVoid@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

Don't forget cell phones, which are in the same risk category as aspartame.

[-] kusivittula@sopuli.xyz 2 points 2 years ago

candy tastes good, beer gives me a warm fuzzy feeling, and i ain't paying 10x more money for a car just so i get to spend 10 hours a week at some charging station so my tablet with wheels can go whirrrr.