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now that aspartame is considered carcinogenic, is it still moral to invest in companies that sell products that contain it?

by jeron 3y ago

netcraft 3y ago
That is still highly debated and the worst part is the dangers of sugar are well known.
xigency 3y ago
Processed meat is also a known carcinogen. Yogurt and dairy increase risk for breast cancer, but you might find them under a pink label. If you spend any time in California, you’ll notice many carcinogens are around us all the time. Tobacco stands out above others as being a very strong, addicting carcinogen.
- nradov 3y ago
  That is not medically accurate. There are some low-quality observational studies which show a weak correlation between cancer rates and subject-reported consumption of certain types of preserved meats. Those studies were mostly junk science with multiple uncontrolled variables. It's specifically the nicotine in tobacco that is somewhat addictive. But nicotine isn't generally considered to be a carcinogen by itself.
  - bufferoverflow 3y ago
    Your argument reminded me of that scene from "Thank you for smoking" Nick Naylor: Oh, this from a Senator who calls Vermont home. Senator Lothridge: I don't follow you, Mr. Naylor. Nick Naylor: Well, the real demonstrated #1 killer in America is cholesterol. And here comes Senator Finistirre whose fine state is, I regret to say, clogging the nation's arteries with Vermont Cheddar Cheese. If we want to talk numbers, how about the millions of people dying of heart attacks? Perhaps Vermont Cheddar should come with a skull and crossbones. Senator Finistirre: That is lu --. The great state of Vermont will not apologize for its cheese! Senator Lothridge: Mr. Naylor, we are here to discuss cigarettes -- not planes, not cars -- cigarettes. Now as we discussed earlier these warning labels are not for those who know but rather for those who don't know. What about the children? Nick Naylor: Gentlemen, it's called education. It doesn't come off the side of a cigarette carton. it comes from our teachers, and more importantly our parents. It is the job of every parent to warn their children of all the dangers of the world, including cigarettes, so that one day when they get older they can choose for themselves. I look at my son who, was kind enough to come with me today, and I can't help but think that I am responsible for his growth and his development. And I'm proud of that.
    - nradov 3y ago
      What's your point? Cheese doesn't cause heart attacks. Cholesterol in the arteries isn't caused by cheese consumption.
BobbyJo 3y ago
The sun is considered carcinogenic, is it still moral to let your kids play outside? I think how carcinogenic a thing is, how the thing is delivered, and what the thing is replacing, if anything, all matter, along with a hundred other factors. A highly carcinogenic habit that is addictive is morally much worse than a potentially carcinogenic sugar replacement, especially when you consider diabetics exist.
- noduerme 3y ago
  I don't see how morality comes into it when it's a choice made by adults. Marketing to children, sure. I'm a smoker and I own tobacco stocks. Hell, the dividends are helping me pay for my future cancer care. It's not like the taxes I pay on cigarettes [roughly $1800 / year, tax for my habit] are going to help with that.
  - maxbond 3y ago
    I gotta ask, you're anticipating getting lung cancer? Like, this is a life event you're budgeting for? I'm not trying to judge your choices (I've smoked cigarettes at times), I'm just taken aback.
    - noduerme 3y ago
      I mean, I hope not. But I'd be a fool not to plan for the worst. [edit: you can phrase your question differently. I won't be offended and I'm happy to explain my view on it.] [edit 2] FWIW . I have a friend who's dying of lung cancer right now. I was real close to my uncle who died of it. There are a lot of things that can get ya, and I try to avoid all of them. People think this is ridiculous, but cancer is a cumulative risk. I don't eat processed foods or refined sugars. I get regular colonoscopies and checkups. I sleep with an air purifier. I just love to fucking smoke. Nine out of ten things I look forward to every day are cigarettes. Addiction gets a bad name. It's one of the most pleasant experiences you can have. Like sex. I'm not sure I'd want to live without it. If it doesn't hurt anyone else, e.g. I'm not robbing people for meth or ruining anyone else's lungs or raiding my kid's college fund, etc, I'm okay with it, because I'm going to die from something anyway. I'm 43 and don't really care to live past 60. Although I said this when I was smoking at 14 and didn't want to live past 30, so, who knows. Life's a gift. Wine, tobacco, chocolate, sex and foie gras are a few of the things that make it worth living.
beebmam 3y ago
You're wrong. Aspartame was added to group 2B, which is the group for "possibly" carcinogenic. It's not known whether it's carcinogenic or not yet. Here's how they define items in group 2B: > This category is used for agents for which there is limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and less than sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals. It may also be used when there is inadequate evidence of carcinogenicity in humans but there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals. In some instances, an agent for which there is inadequate evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and less than sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals together with supporting evidence from mechanistic and other relevant data may be placed in this group. An agent may be classified in this category solely on the basis of strong evidence from mechanistic and other relevant data. Source (Page 23, PDF Page 25): https://monographs.iarc.who.int/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/CurrentPreamble.pdf https://monographs.iarc.who.int/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/C...

now that aspartame is considered carcinogenic, is it still moral to invest in companies that sell products that contain it?

by jeron 3y ago

now that aspartame is considered carcinogenic, is it still moral to invest in companies that sell products that contain it?

netcraft 3y ago

That is still highly debated and the worst part is the dangers of sugar are well known.

xigency 3y ago

Processed meat is also a known carcinogen. Yogurt and dairy increase risk for breast cancer, but you might find them under a pink label. If you spend any time in California, you’ll notice many carcinogens are around us all the time. Tobacco stands out above others as being a very strong, addicting carcinogen.

nradov 3y ago
That is not medically accurate. There are some low-quality observational studies which show a weak correlation between cancer rates and subject-reported consumption of certain types of preserved meats. Those studies were mostly junk science with multiple uncontrolled variables. It's specifically the nicotine in tobacco that is somewhat addictive. But nicotine isn't generally considered to be a carcinogen by itself.
- bufferoverflow 3y ago
  Your argument reminded me of that scene from "Thank you for smoking" Nick Naylor: Oh, this from a Senator who calls Vermont home. Senator Lothridge: I don't follow you, Mr. Naylor. Nick Naylor: Well, the real demonstrated #1 killer in America is cholesterol. And here comes Senator Finistirre whose fine state is, I regret to say, clogging the nation's arteries with Vermont Cheddar Cheese. If we want to talk numbers, how about the millions of people dying of heart attacks? Perhaps Vermont Cheddar should come with a skull and crossbones. Senator Finistirre: That is lu --. The great state of Vermont will not apologize for its cheese! Senator Lothridge: Mr. Naylor, we are here to discuss cigarettes -- not planes, not cars -- cigarettes. Now as we discussed earlier these warning labels are not for those who know but rather for those who don't know. What about the children? Nick Naylor: Gentlemen, it's called education. It doesn't come off the side of a cigarette carton. it comes from our teachers, and more importantly our parents. It is the job of every parent to warn their children of all the dangers of the world, including cigarettes, so that one day when they get older they can choose for themselves. I look at my son who, was kind enough to come with me today, and I can't help but think that I am responsible for his growth and his development. And I'm proud of that.
  - nradov 3y ago
    What's your point? Cheese doesn't cause heart attacks. Cholesterol in the arteries isn't caused by cheese consumption.

BobbyJo 3y ago

The sun is considered carcinogenic, is it still moral to let your kids play outside? I think how carcinogenic a thing is, how the thing is delivered, and what the thing is replacing, if anything, all matter, along with a hundred other factors. A highly carcinogenic habit that is addictive is morally much worse than a potentially carcinogenic sugar replacement, especially when you consider diabetics exist.

noduerme 3y ago
I don't see how morality comes into it when it's a choice made by adults. Marketing to children, sure. I'm a smoker and I own tobacco stocks. Hell, the dividends are helping me pay for my future cancer care. It's not like the taxes I pay on cigarettes [roughly $1800 / year, tax for my habit] are going to help with that.
- maxbond 3y ago
  I gotta ask, you're anticipating getting lung cancer? Like, this is a life event you're budgeting for? I'm not trying to judge your choices (I've smoked cigarettes at times), I'm just taken aback.
  - noduerme 3y ago
    I mean, I hope not. But I'd be a fool not to plan for the worst. [edit: you can phrase your question differently. I won't be offended and I'm happy to explain my view on it.] [edit 2] FWIW . I have a friend who's dying of lung cancer right now. I was real close to my uncle who died of it. There are a lot of things that can get ya, and I try to avoid all of them. People think this is ridiculous, but cancer is a cumulative risk. I don't eat processed foods or refined sugars. I get regular colonoscopies and checkups. I sleep with an air purifier. I just love to fucking smoke. Nine out of ten things I look forward to every day are cigarettes. Addiction gets a bad name. It's one of the most pleasant experiences you can have. Like sex. I'm not sure I'd want to live without it. If it doesn't hurt anyone else, e.g. I'm not robbing people for meth or ruining anyone else's lungs or raiding my kid's college fund, etc, I'm okay with it, because I'm going to die from something anyway. I'm 43 and don't really care to live past 60. Although I said this when I was smoking at 14 and didn't want to live past 30, so, who knows. Life's a gift. Wine, tobacco, chocolate, sex and foie gras are a few of the things that make it worth living.

beebmam 3y ago

You're wrong. Aspartame was added to group 2B, which is the group for "possibly" carcinogenic. It's not known whether it's carcinogenic or not yet. Here's how they define items in group 2B: > This category is used for agents for which there is limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and less than sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals. It may also be used when there is inadequate evidence of carcinogenicity in humans but there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals. In some instances, an agent for which there is inadequate evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and less than sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals together with supporting evidence from mechanistic and other relevant data may be placed in this group. An agent may be classified in this category solely on the basis of strong evidence from mechanistic and other relevant data. Source (Page 23, PDF Page 25): https://monographs.iarc.who.int/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/CurrentPreamble.pdf https://monographs.iarc.who.int/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/C...