I don't know if I agree about the toxicity, you'd have to drink an AWFUL lot of artificial sweetener-based drinks for it to reach toxic levels.
In moderation I would agree with you, but if you are drinking 1-2 cans of pop a day, along with any other diet drink or food it starts to add up and over a period of time you will start to see side effects.
SIDE EFFECTS TO ASPARTAME:
Headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain.
THESE CAN BE TRIGGERED OR WORSENED BY ASPARTAME:
Brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, parkinson’s disease, alzheimer’s, mental retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, fibromyalgia, and diabetes.
I would do without!