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Several Republican-led states have begun implementing restrictions on the purchase of soft drinks and candy with food stamps. Indiana, Iowa and Nebraska already have approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to limit these purchases beginning in January 2026.
The ban on buying soft drinks with Food Stamps is gaining momentum in the United States. This week, Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins signed requests from Indiana and Iowa to limit the purchase of foods considered unhealthy through Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. This follows the authorization granted to Nebraska to ban the purchase of soft drinks and energy drinks with these benefits.
The impact of bans on beneficiaries
The SNAP program, commonly known as "food stamps," assists low-income households across the country that would otherwise struggle to afford food. Currently, more than 40 million Americans receive these benefits, and if all the states considering these bans succeed in implementing them, they will affect approximately 7.1 million recipients.Indiana, Iowa and Nebraska already have their waiver applications approved, with an implementation date of January 1, 2026. Three other states - Arkansas, Texas and West Virginia - have submitted their applications to the USDA, which are still pending approval or rejection. Additionally, Idaho already has a law ed by its state legislature that prohibits the purchase of soda and candy with food assistance benefits, although it has not yet formally submitted its application to the USDA.
Differing perspectives on the measure
Opinions on these bans are sharply divided between those who see them as a way to promote public health and those who see them as a form of control over low-income populations.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, in a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins formally requesting a waiver, noted: "Under the Trump istration, for the first time since the program was authorized, states can take steps to eliminate the opportunity to purchase junk food with SNAP benefits and ensure that taxpayer dollars are used only to purchase healthy, nutritious food."
More states are expected to submit their waiver applications for consideration by the USDA in the coming months, which could significantly transform how food benefits work across the country.