Several states, including Arkansas, Indiana, and Tennessee, seek to ban junk food like candy and soda from SNAP aka food stamp benefits. This move is, in part, inspired by the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, RFK, Jr. Some of these bills have been proposed for years but there was no federal support to make them happen. Now, many states are attempting to make this a reality due to health concerns of their citizenry.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said this bill is strictly for the health of 350,000 of her constituents. She also stated that it does not make sense for taxpayers to subsidize the poor health of Americans on the front end and the back end. Most of the preventable disease in America stems from a poor diet. The leading cause of death in the United States is heart disease, which is totally preventable by eating the right food. Junk food, in many communities, is as bad or worse than drugs and alcohol.
SOURCES:
Arkansas and Indiana ask USDA to let them ban soda and candy from SNAP | AP News
