Is Drinking Diet Coke with Splenda Safe?

I saw a television commercial for the first time today on the new Diet Coke, now with Splenda, which is sucralose. Although I don't drink soft drinks, I have been noticing sucralose printed on bottles of flavored water, for example and elsewhere. Is it harmful? Is Splenda better than the aspartame that was in Diet Coke before? Is Coca-Cola jumping on the Atkins bandwagon?

This reminded me of what Dr. Janet Hull wrote in her newsletter about Splenda, in an article called, "Splenda - Here We Go Again":

"Sucralose (Splenda®) is a chlorocarbon and is more accurately compared to ingesting tiny amounts of chlorinated pesticides. The chlorocarbons have long been known for causing organ, genetic, and reproductive damage. It should be no surprise then, that the testing of sucralose reveals it causes up to 40% shrinkage of the thymus: a gland that is the very foundation of our immune system. Sucralose also causes swelling of the liver and kidneys, calcification of the kidney, fertility issues in male rates, and gastrointestinal problems in pregnant rats. If you experience kidney pain, cramping, swelling, an irritated bladder, or blood in your urine after using sucralose in Splenda, stop use immediately."

Below are links to more information about Splenda by Dr. Hull. There is also a lot of information available on the Internet on this topic.

If anyone is interested about artificial sweeteners, I interviewed Janet Starr Hull, Ph.D. on The Isle Of Light Internet radio talk show and this show airs continuously on Live 365. The next airing dates and times are June 21 at 4 AM, 12 PM (noon) and 8 PM EST and June 24 at 2 AM, 10 AM and 6 PM EST. The topic is called, Aspartame - Sweetener or Poison?

http://www.janethull.com/newsletter/0704/splenda-here-we-go-again.php

http://www.janethull.com/newsletter/0704/splenda-case-history.php

http://www.janethull.com/newsletter/0704/chlorine-in-your-pool-and-diet-cola.php