Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

BumRushDaShow

(174,157 posts)
Tue Jun 30, 2026, 06:18 AM Jun 30

Arkansas will move forward with a ban on using SNAP for candy and soda despite recent court ruling

Source: Yahoo! News/AP

Updated Mon, June 29, 2026 at 6:29 PM EDT


Arkansas is moving forward with its plan to ban government food aid from being used to buy candy and soda beginning on Wednesday, even though a federal judge ruled last week that similar restrictions in other states violated federal law. Announcing the plan on Monday, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders cited an urgent need to combat a "chronic disease epidemic" in America, including high rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

On one floor of the state's Department of Human Services, "our state has been approving food stamp purchases for soft drinks and candy, while on another floor, our state's Medicaid program is paying to treat the chronic diseases those products can help create," she said.

Food stamps is an older name for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. The federally funded and state-run program provides a monthly stipend for low-income families to buy groceries. It is used by nearly 42 million Americans, or about one in eight.

In a news release, the Arkansas governor's office cited Stanford University research that found restricting the purchase of sugary drinks with food stamps could reduce rates of obesity and type-2 diabetes. However, overall research remains mixed about whether restricting SNAP purchases improves diet quality and health.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/arkansas-move-forward-ban-using-222954357.html



REFERENCE - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143682991
9 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

OC375

(1,241 posts)
4. The Dept of Needs: the problem with the US in a nutshell.
Tue Jun 30, 2026, 07:44 AM
Jun 30

I know what you need to be doing. Do it or I will make you, for your own good.

mdbl

(9,095 posts)
6. I have mixed feelings about this, but
Tue Jun 30, 2026, 09:19 AM
Jun 30

The entire US food supply is so poisonous now, it's a little late to try and legislate which food people can buy. If you really want to help, increase organic farming and fresh vegetable availability, particularly in food deserts which are increasing thanks to the one big shitty bill cancelling aid to people that need it.

OldBaldy1701E

(11,897 posts)
7. I am very curious as to just how many 'obese' SNAP recipients are in Arkansas.
Tue Jun 30, 2026, 09:20 AM
Jun 30

Now, obese wealthy people... I am sure there are plenty of them, but for some reason, they seem to want to worry about the supposed obese destitute masses that are starving, and yet are 'obese'.

I cannot wait for these rich idiots to figure out that those robots they are so hopeful for are not going to work out as planned and then try to beg the humans to go back to being wage slaves and to make them rich again.

Of course, I would prefer that they just cease to exist, but since our entire society is geared to their benefit, that is a tall order.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Arkansas will move forwar...