Arkansas – Arkansas has officially prohibited the purchase of soft drinks and candy through the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), with Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders saying the change is intended to restore the program’s focus on nutrition and improve public health.
The new policy took effect on July 1, following approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), making Arkansas one of the first states in the nation to receive a federal waiver allowing restrictions on certain food purchases under SNAP.
“Food stamps were designed to fight hunger. Not fuel chronic disease,” Sanders wrote on social media. “Starting tomorrow, Arkansas is putting nutrition back at the center of SNAP and banning taxpayer-funded soft drinks and candy.”
In a separate statement, the governor added, “Food, not junk. Arkansas is getting soft drinks and candy off food stamps starting July 1 because taxpayer dollars shouldn’t be wasted on unhealthy junk.”
According to the governor’s office, the waiver was submitted to the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service in April 2025 and approved by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins in June 2025.
The policy prohibits SNAP recipients in Arkansas from using benefits to purchase soft drinks, including regular, diet, and zero-calorie sodas, fruit and vegetable drinks containing less than 50% natural juice, candy, and other beverages considered unhealthy under the waiver.
Gov. Sanders said the change addresses what she believes is a disconnect between taxpayer-funded nutrition assistance and public health.
“It is crazy that hardworking taxpayers pay for the soft drinks and junk food that make people unhealthy and then pay for the healthcare those people need to get better,” Sanders said. “Government programs need to recognize the link between nutrition and health.”
Arkansas Department of Human Services Secretary Janet Mann said the program is intended to help SNAP recipients make healthier food choices while improving health outcomes across the state.
To assist participants, the Department of Human Services has launched a mobile application that allows shoppers to scan grocery items and instantly determine whether they qualify for purchase with SNAP benefits. The app is available on both Apple and Android devices.
According to the governor’s office, unhealthy foods—including soft drinks, desserts, candy, and similar products—account for approximately 23% of all SNAP purchases nationwide, representing roughly $27 billion annually.
State officials cited research linking high consumption of sugary drinks and junk food to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and other chronic illnesses. They also pointed to Arkansas-specific health statistics, noting that more than one-third of residents have diabetes or prediabetes, the state has one of the nation’s highest diabetes mortality rates, and about 40% of adults are affected by obesity.
The governor’s office also referenced research from Stanford University estimating that restricting sugary beverages from SNAP purchases nationwide could prevent approximately 141,000 cases of childhood obesity and 240,000 cases of Type 2 diabetes among adults.
The SNAP changes are part of Sanders’ broader health initiatives, which include providing free school breakfasts to Arkansas students, expanding locally sourced foods through the Arkansas Plate Initiative, supporting the Arkansas Rice in Schools program, and encouraging student fitness through the #RazorbackReady2026 challenge following the restoration of the Presidential Fitness Test.
Supporters of the policy argue it encourages healthier eating while ensuring taxpayer dollars are used for nutritious foods. Critics of similar proposals in other states have argued that such restrictions limit consumer choice and place additional burdens on low-income families.
Arkansas is among the first states to implement this type of SNAP restriction under a federal waiver, and policymakers nationwide are expected to closely monitor its impact on purchasing habits and public health outcomes.