6 ms·

Arkansas moves to ban candy, soda from SNAP eligibility

19 points by geox 2y ago

gnabgib 2y ago
> Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (..) also commonly known as food stamps.
nothercastle 2y ago
If you cover soda you might as well cover alcohol.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
- ty6853 2y ago
  Lol all ingredients to brew beer/wine but maybe specialized yeasts are buyable with most food benefits.
- tryptophan 2y ago
  You cant buy alcohol with snap.
  - nothercastle 2y ago
    I know, soda is just as bad for you though. At least beer can be considered a historic food.
    - hmcq6 2y ago
      The dose makes the poison. Why not ban white bread and bleached rice while you’re at it?
throwaway657656 2y ago
Whenever I take the first bite into an energy or protein bar I pause with surprise because of how sweet it is. Then I ask myself, "how is this not a candy bar?"
- netbioserror 2y ago
  The macronutrient profile? Is this a trick question?
mobilefriendly 2y ago
This is progress it is peak idiocracy for the taxpayer to subsidize junk food to a largely obese population
- TimorousBestie 2y ago
  They would save more money and improve the health of the average American by cutting the corn and dairy subsidies.
- hmcq6 2y ago
  Why not just tax the “harmful” product?
duxup 2y ago
This is one of those things that I doubt changes anything, and I suspect only satisfies folks desire to wag their finger at other folks. Folks will give one reason for it, but I think it's just finger wagging / getting in other people's business in the end.
- ty6853 2y ago
  Would make more sense to shit-can the program and just hand them cash. Any junkies or land-whales will kill themselves faster and relieve the taxpayers of further burden, and the people that need it have better understanding of their own needs than some benefits clerk who spends 5 minutes with them twice a year. It would be a win-win for literally everyone.
  - duxup 2y ago
    I lived in a crappy part of town when I was young. Local homeless guy I recognized, I'd give him a few bucks once in a while. I didn't know him, but everyone recognized him. Someone mentioned to me "he's just gonna spend it on booze" (there wasn't really any evidence for that but they assumed). A friend of mine made an insightful comment "Considering his life so far, maybe he actually could use a beer more than us." (We were going to a local bar) Someone wants some skittles or something, fine by me. The idea that we should tell someone they can't have a treat because they're poor, I agree that seems cruel. Folks who really want to get those folks help / get them out of the system, they're not sweating skittles. My wife works in the school system and one of the poorer kids told her that sometimes their aunt and uncle come over and take their food. THAT is a problem, not skittles.
    - nothercastle 2y ago
      For me it’s less about what they pick and more about not funneling more tax payer money to PepsiCo for food like products that kill people. If you are going to micro manage the program cut out all the toxic shit.
      - 2y ago
butterlettuce 2y ago
I’m all for this. I much prefer they purchase the healthiest stuff they can buy at the grocery stuff to stay sharp throughout the day. Pop tarts and soda provide zero nutritional value and cause brain fog. If they want that, they can pay for it out of their own pocket.
- bsilvereagle 2y ago
  > Pop tarts and soda provide zero nutritional value But they have a very high calorie:dollar ratio.
- watwut 2y ago
  Calories are nutrition. Necessary one.
rasz 2y ago
Coca Cola will be pissed https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/5118876-healthy-snap-act-reducing-unhealthy-food/ https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/5118876-healthy-snap-... "This part of the SNAP subsidy, by our estimates, drives 20 to 25 percent of U.S. revenues for Coca-Cola and Pepsico.Feb 2, 2025"
- GuestFAUniverse 2y ago
  Would also explain the lack of real interest to guarantee proper access to clean, lead free tap water. Instead: let big conglomerates control most wells and get everyone addicted via sugar+salt.
- kwertyoowiyop 2y ago
  That’s a shocking number. I actually have a hard time believing it.
  - deleted 2y ago
    [deleted]
hmcq6 2y ago
Someone plz explain to me why the ban also applies to diet sodas
- financetechbro 2y ago
  My view… this isn’t about health, it’s about control
  - GuestFAUniverse 2y ago
    It's about _not paying twice_: 1. subsidize unhealthy drinks and food 2. subsidize the consequences Want something unhealthy? Earn it yourself.
    - financetechbro 2y ago
      I don’t know if I can behind this idea. If they cared about _not paying twice_ there would be free or affordable health care to lower income folks, helping drive preventative medical care vs waiting on health problems become too big ignore and thus ends up being a larger medical bill, which they can’t afford. So ya I think it’s still about control. Society as a whole is weirdly obsessed with controlling those with less means
- ndriscoll 2y ago
  Why would a program that's meant to help people buy groceries include any soda? The point is to help people in need to be able to afford an adequate diet, not to buy fun treats. It shouldn't include marijuana either, for example.
  - archagon 2y ago
    By your logic, maybe this program should only subsidize a nutritionally-rich slurry?
- insane_dreamer 2y ago
  Because the artificial sweeteners and chemicals are also harmful. I don't know why people think that Diet Coke is any better than regular Coke. You're just replacing one sweetener with another and still at risk of diabetes and other health problems[0]. [0] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/3-reasons-you-should-kick-your-diet-soda-habit https://health.clevelandclinic.org/3-reasons-you-should-kick...
treebeard901 2y ago
You can buy McDonalds with SNAP in some states. Originally it was approved as a subsidy for farms which is why right leaning people ever supported it originally. The end goal is to restict the program and eventually end it entirely. This just an excuse. I think if youre at a store and you take it upon yourself to judge a person buying a product and spying on them to determine their method of payment to justify your initial suspicions, without any knowledge of why they are in that position, and your response is that you should be able to dictate the diet of someone else as a result is such an insane authoritarian way to view it that I dont even know what to say to you. The caste system is real and be honest, you would rather see that person slumped over OD on the street corner than standing next to you in line attempting to just feed themselves. Really what this view reveals is your own insecurity and lack of empathy
- gruez 2y ago
  /s?
insane_dreamer 2y ago
This is long overdue. I don't understand why this hasn't yet been implemented in other States. The poor (those on food stamps) suffer the most because the stuff that is cheap and available on every corner is garbage like soda, and then they struggle with obesity, diabetes, and an array of health problems. There needs to be more effort into making healthy food available ("food deserts" are a problem). So while this ban isn't the solution in itself, it's part of the solution.

19 points by geox 2y ago

gnabgib 2y ago

> Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (..) also commonly known as food stamps.

nothercastle 2y ago

If you cover soda you might as well cover alcohol.

deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
ty6853 2y ago
Lol all ingredients to brew beer/wine but maybe specialized yeasts are buyable with most food benefits.
tryptophan 2y ago
You cant buy alcohol with snap.
- nothercastle 2y ago
  I know, soda is just as bad for you though. At least beer can be considered a historic food.
  - hmcq6 2y ago
    The dose makes the poison. Why not ban white bread and bleached rice while you’re at it?

throwaway657656 2y ago

Whenever I take the first bite into an energy or protein bar I pause with surprise because of how sweet it is. Then I ask myself, "how is this not a candy bar?"

netbioserror 2y ago
The macronutrient profile? Is this a trick question?

mobilefriendly 2y ago

This is progress it is peak idiocracy for the taxpayer to subsidize junk food to a largely obese population

TimorousBestie 2y ago
They would save more money and improve the health of the average American by cutting the corn and dairy subsidies.
hmcq6 2y ago
Why not just tax the “harmful” product?

duxup 2y ago

This is one of those things that I doubt changes anything, and I suspect only satisfies folks desire to wag their finger at other folks. Folks will give one reason for it, but I think it's just finger wagging / getting in other people's business in the end.

ty6853 2y ago
Would make more sense to shit-can the program and just hand them cash. Any junkies or land-whales will kill themselves faster and relieve the taxpayers of further burden, and the people that need it have better understanding of their own needs than some benefits clerk who spends 5 minutes with them twice a year. It would be a win-win for literally everyone.
- duxup 2y ago
  I lived in a crappy part of town when I was young. Local homeless guy I recognized, I'd give him a few bucks once in a while. I didn't know him, but everyone recognized him. Someone mentioned to me "he's just gonna spend it on booze" (there wasn't really any evidence for that but they assumed). A friend of mine made an insightful comment "Considering his life so far, maybe he actually could use a beer more than us." (We were going to a local bar) Someone wants some skittles or something, fine by me. The idea that we should tell someone they can't have a treat because they're poor, I agree that seems cruel. Folks who really want to get those folks help / get them out of the system, they're not sweating skittles. My wife works in the school system and one of the poorer kids told her that sometimes their aunt and uncle come over and take their food. THAT is a problem, not skittles.
  - nothercastle 2y ago
    For me it’s less about what they pick and more about not funneling more tax payer money to PepsiCo for food like products that kill people. If you are going to micro manage the program cut out all the toxic shit.
    - 2y ago

butterlettuce 2y ago

I’m all for this. I much prefer they purchase the healthiest stuff they can buy at the grocery stuff to stay sharp throughout the day. Pop tarts and soda provide zero nutritional value and cause brain fog. If they want that, they can pay for it out of their own pocket.

bsilvereagle 2y ago
> Pop tarts and soda provide zero nutritional value But they have a very high calorie:dollar ratio.
watwut 2y ago
Calories are nutrition. Necessary one.

rasz 2y ago

Coca Cola will be pissed https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/5118876-healthy-snap-act-reducing-unhealthy-food/ https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/5118876-healthy-snap-... "This part of the SNAP subsidy, by our estimates, drives 20 to 25 percent of U.S. revenues for Coca-Cola and Pepsico.Feb 2, 2025"

GuestFAUniverse 2y ago
Would also explain the lack of real interest to guarantee proper access to clean, lead free tap water. Instead: let big conglomerates control most wells and get everyone addicted via sugar+salt.
kwertyoowiyop 2y ago
That’s a shocking number. I actually have a hard time believing it.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]

hmcq6 2y ago

Someone plz explain to me why the ban also applies to diet sodas

financetechbro 2y ago
My view… this isn’t about health, it’s about control
- GuestFAUniverse 2y ago
  It's about _not paying twice_: 1. subsidize unhealthy drinks and food 2. subsidize the consequences Want something unhealthy? Earn it yourself.
  - financetechbro 2y ago
    I don’t know if I can behind this idea. If they cared about _not paying twice_ there would be free or affordable health care to lower income folks, helping drive preventative medical care vs waiting on health problems become too big ignore and thus ends up being a larger medical bill, which they can’t afford. So ya I think it’s still about control. Society as a whole is weirdly obsessed with controlling those with less means
ndriscoll 2y ago
Why would a program that's meant to help people buy groceries include any soda? The point is to help people in need to be able to afford an adequate diet, not to buy fun treats. It shouldn't include marijuana either, for example.
- archagon 2y ago
  By your logic, maybe this program should only subsidize a nutritionally-rich slurry?
insane_dreamer 2y ago
Because the artificial sweeteners and chemicals are also harmful. I don't know why people think that Diet Coke is any better than regular Coke. You're just replacing one sweetener with another and still at risk of diabetes and other health problems[0]. [0] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/3-reasons-you-should-kick-your-diet-soda-habit https://health.clevelandclinic.org/3-reasons-you-should-kick...

treebeard901 2y ago

You can buy McDonalds with SNAP in some states. Originally it was approved as a subsidy for farms which is why right leaning people ever supported it originally. The end goal is to restict the program and eventually end it entirely. This just an excuse. I think if youre at a store and you take it upon yourself to judge a person buying a product and spying on them to determine their method of payment to justify your initial suspicions, without any knowledge of why they are in that position, and your response is that you should be able to dictate the diet of someone else as a result is such an insane authoritarian way to view it that I dont even know what to say to you. The caste system is real and be honest, you would rather see that person slumped over OD on the street corner than standing next to you in line attempting to just feed themselves. Really what this view reveals is your own insecurity and lack of empathy

gruez 2y ago
/s?

insane_dreamer 2y ago

This is long overdue. I don't understand why this hasn't yet been implemented in other States. The poor (those on food stamps) suffer the most because the stuff that is cheap and available on every corner is garbage like soda, and then they struggle with obesity, diabetes, and an array of health problems. There needs to be more effort into making healthy food available ("food deserts" are a problem). So while this ban isn't the solution in itself, it's part of the solution.