Florida among six states approved to restrict SNAP purchases on junk food
Key Points(5)
- Earlier this month, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F.
- announced that six additional states have been granted waivers allowing them to prohibit Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from being used on “junk food.” Florida is among the states added to the list.
- Florida will join eleven other states in restricting such purchases for SNAP recipients, commonly known as food stamps.
- In most cases, the restrictions apply to soda and candy.
- Kennedy said the move will help get “health food in the hands of more low-income homes.” “Our department has encouraged states to think differently and creatively about how to solve the many health issues facing Americans,” said U.S.
Earlier this month, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that six additional states have been granted waivers allowing them to prohibit Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from being used on “junk food.” Florida is among the states added to the list.
Florida will join eleven other states in restricting such purchases for SNAP recipients, commonly known as food stamps. In most cases, the restrictions apply to soda and candy.
Kennedy said the move will help get “health food in the hands of more low-income homes.”
“Our department has encouraged states to think differently and creatively about how to solve the many health issues facing Americans,” said U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
The new waivers, which also include Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Colorado, and West Virginia, will take effect in 2026. They join six other states that have already received similar permissions to restrict junk food purchases.
“The US taxpayers should not be paying to feed kids, the poorest kids in our country, with foods that are going to give them diabetes,” Kennedy said.
Of the states that have received waivers so far, most restrict the use of SNAP funds on soft drinks or sodas, while at least eight prohibit candy purchases. Some also prevent food benefits from being used on energy drinks and, in Arkansas, “fruit and vegetable drinks with less than 50% natural juice.”
“For years, SNAP has used taxpayer dollars to fund soda and candy—products that fuel America’s diabetes and chronic disease epidemics,” Kennedy said. “These waivers help put real food back at the center of the program and empower states to lead the charge in protecting public health. I thank these governors who have stepped up to request waivers, and I encourage others to follow their lead. This is how we Make America Healthy Again.”
The waivers signed this month expand the number of states implementing SNAP reforms. Earlier this year, waivers were signed for Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana, Arkansas, Idaho, and Utah.
