I'm sorry I may have missed something. I thought it was all about a healthy happy reptile. There are many ways to go about that, and just because you disagree with one of the ways that doesn't make it any less viable. Daniel justified what he said very well, and I agree, it all comes down to supporting the health of the animal, because after all, they aren't on tile or some other completely barren substrate in the wild. Like he said go with what you're comfortable with.

If I had lost animals from using sand I'm sure I would have switched over and maybe been as adamant as you are, but I haven't. Go with what you know, give your opinion, but don't bash something just because it scares you. I wouldn't suggest to use sand to someone who is not comfortable with it, but as long as you maintain the environment and health of the animal there should be no problem. There are at least 3 people active on this thread who have had successes using sand for many years on end, therefore sand can't be the worst thing ever.