I'm saying biting down on split shot sinkers might not kill everyone who fishes but the belief that lead is scarier than rabid Grizzlies starts with us just repeating what we've read about dsngers, because benzene is a terrific fuel source, but don't worry we can't get it anymore.
I agree in regards to things not being as toxic as people might think, but only because all toxic things, especially in small quantities, don't outright kill you. They just increase the risk of developing different health issues. Look at lead in gas. Doesn't do much to a healthy, grown up person, unless they stand in fumes hours a day, and lead poisoning is treatable if it actually occurs. But to a developing brain like that of a child, exposure to lead will make them dumber, permanently. So benzene amount got increased as it has a decent anti-knocking effect and tetraethyl lead was removed from gas. All good as long as benzene burns, problem solved, no more retarded children from all the leaded smog.
But when used in a 2 stroke, for example in our chainsaws, it doesn't burn completely, and no matter what you do you'll inhale the unburnt gas. Benzene being a well known carcinogen (a real one, not the dumb California thing where they mark everything as a carcinogen), you're not doing yourself any good. We all die one day, sure, and I'll continue to use pump gas due to availability, but it's not hard to admit that pure gas made out of paraffins, what alkylated gas actually is, aspen or whatever the brand, burns cleaner and is healthier overall. Is my risk of getting leukemia or lung cancer 10-20x more than the average? Probably. Will I get it? Statistically, most likely not.
