Should Food Stamps Buy Soda?

Awhile back, when some were outraged that people were using their food stamps at Whole Foods, we asked if food stamps should buy organic salmon. Now outrage is being directed at the other end of the spectrum. New York City is hoping to ban food stamp recipients from using their benefits to buy soda or other sugary drinks.

As part of his push to lower obesity rates, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is asking the USDA for a two-year ban on buying soda for its 1.7 million food stamp families.

Not all public health advocates are in line with the proposal.

"The world would be better, I think, if people limited their purchases of sugared beverages," said George Hacker,  senior policy adviser for the health promotion project of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. "However, there are a great many ethical reasons to consider why one would not want to stigmatize people on food stamps."

The proposal may limit the amount of sugary drinks getting into the hands of children whose families are on food stamps, but it won't change the fundamental problem with food in America — lousy food is just cheaper than nutritious fare, so poor families will stock up on whatever fills their bellies and fits their budgets.

Even with a ban, soda will still be cheaper than bottled water. A two-liter of Coke still costs less than a carton of Juicy Juice. Potato chips cost less than actual potatoes.

Minnesota officials tried to ban junk food purchases by food stamp users a few years back, but the USDA didn't let them. The USDA said the ban would "'perpetuate the myth' that food-stamp users made poor shopping decisions," according to the New York Times.

Who else is against the plan? You guessed it — the beverage industry. "This is just another attempt by government to tell New Yorkers what they should eat and drink," said Tracey Halliday, spokesperson for the American Beverage Association.

Funny ... Congress didn't worry about perpetuating the myth that welfare recipients don't work for a living when they enacted welfare reform. We have no problem using drug testing and harsh policing techniques which perpetuate the myth that poor people are criminals. But when a ban comes along that might keep poor kids from getting addicted to the rush of empty calories and caffeine from soda, we're suddenly worried about perpetuating myths?

The truth is, this ban would not only limit soda consumption — it would limit the amount of money rushing into the pockets of giant companies. These corporations make millions on their beverages, many of which serve as a direct catalyst to diseases like diabetes.

So, to me, the USDA's "concern" sounds more like a worry that big lobbyists won't be happy. Personally, that has me pretty worried.

Photo credit: poolie