(The Center Square) – Pop, soda, Coke – whatever someone might call it in Michigan, they may not be able to buy it with food stamps much longer.
Rep. Brad Paquette, R-Niles, recently introduced a bill that would stop the use of food stamps to buy pop by asking the federal government for a waiver to ban the purchases with SNAP benefits.
“Michigan taxpayers should not be required to fund poor food consumption,” Paquette said. “This legislation is in no way calling for low-income individuals to be stripped of the assistance they currently receive to feed themselves and their families, but we have to recognize that this assistance is a privilege and comes at the expense of taxpaying workers. We should ensure that SNAP beneficiaries are not using this program in a way that is both exorbitant and palpably harmful to themselves.”
Ten other states are considering bans on junk food – candy, pop and other things high in fat and sugar – for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients. Those states are Texas, Arkansas, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Missouri, Iowa, Tennessee and West Virginia.
Every state already bans SNAP usage for alcohol, tobacco and foods made for immediate consumption.
Paquette says he wants taxpayer dollars to be used for healthier food choices.
“Soda is among the most nutritionally detrimental food options available,” Paquette said. “The N in SNAP stands for nutrition. Taxpayer dollars should provide assistance for those in need to obtain food and drink that brings nourishment to the body. Pop or soda has zero nutritional benefit and therefore should not be purchasable under this assistance program.”
If the Department of Agriculture denies Michigan’s request, the bill would require the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for the waiver each year until it’s approved.
House Bill 4305 is currently in the House Health Policy Committee.
