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2d ago

USDA Approves SNAP Bans on Soda and Candy in 12 States as Mississippi Considers Curbs

Pilots starting in early 2026 bar soda and candy from EBT cards to curb chronic illness through MAHA under Rollins’s leadership.

Republican Governor Tate Reeves speaks to supporters during an election night watch party at The Refuge Hotel & Conference Center on November 07, 2023 in Flowood, Mississippi.
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Overview

  • On August 13, Secretary Brooke Rollins signed waivers allowing six additional states—West Virginia, Florida, Colorado, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas—to prohibit soda and candy purchases with SNAP benefits.
  • Combined with approvals earlier in 2025 for Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana, Arkansas, Idaho and Utah, a total of 12 states will implement these purchase limits.
  • Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has said he is exploring a similar waiver after discussing the idea with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
  • State pilots set to begin in early 2026 will block selected low-nutrition items from EBT cards, with restrictions ranging from soda-only bans to wider junk food curbs.
  • While supporters under the Make America Healthy Again initiative frame the move as a public-health measure, critics warn of limited evidence, added administrative burdens and increased stigma for SNAP recipients.