Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Aug. 4 signed waivers filed by Colorado and five other states allowing them to ban the use of food stamps to buy soda and other sugary drinks.
“Since my confirmation, our department has encouraged states to think differently and creatively about how to solve the many health issues facing Americans. One way is by not allowing taxpayer-funded benefits to be used to purchase unhealthy items like soda, candy, and other junk food,” Rollins said.
Federal law states that the purpose of the food stamp program, known as SNAP, is to provide low-income families money to supplement their grocery budget “to obtain a more nutritious diet.”…