Government Aid Used to Buy Soda... Assistance for Low-Income Americans Fuels U.S. Health Crisis [Delicious Stories]

Government Assistance Used to Buy Soda Accounts for 21% of Coca-Cola's U.S. Sales
'Food Stamp Soda' Criticized by U.S. Vice President... Poison for the Poor
Improving Public Awareness Is Key

Editor's NoteThe earliest snacks are believed to have been discovered in ancient Mesopotamian civilization. In other words, snacks have accompanied every moment of human history. From biscuits and chocolate to ice cream, we bring you delicious stories behind the snacks we have loved.

The 'food stamp' program, which helps low-income individuals purchase groceries, is one of the United States' representative social welfare programs, established in 1964. However, as food stamps are increasingly used to buy soda and other soft drinks, critics argue that U.S. social welfare policy has contributed to a public health crisis.

Government Assistance Used to Buy Soda Accounts for 21% of Coca-Cola's U.S. Sales

Cola. Pixabay

Murray Carpenter, author of the book "Sweet and Deadly," which analyzes the dangers of excessive soft drink consumption and an investigative reporter for The New York Times (NYT), revealed in an article earlier last month just how many food stamps are being used to purchase soda. After compiling several years of food stamp data, he estimated that this year, low-income Americans are expected to spend $10 billion (approximately 13.7 trillion won) on soft drinks. This amount is equivalent to 21% of Coca-Cola's total U.S. sales last year.

What is even more concerning is that as the proportion of food stamps used to purchase soda increases, the rates of severe diabetes and obesity in the United States have also risen. Carpenter argued, "The current obesity and diabetes crisis in America is not a coincidence, but rather a result of foods like soda flooding the market."

'Food Stamp Soda' Criticized by U.S. Vice President... Poison for the Poor

Food stamps are provided through electronic welfare cards. The photo shows an electronic welfare card from the state of Texas, USA. Official website of the Texas state government.

The official name of the food stamp program is SNAP, which stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It is operated with the budget of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is implemented by state governments, who transfer a certain amount each month to electronic welfare cards. Low-income individuals can use these electronic cards to purchase a variety of food items. However, the inclusion of snacks and soft drinks on the list of items that can be purchased with food stamps has been a source of controversy for a long time.

A slum in Jackson, Ohio, where J.D Vance, the U.S. Vice President, lived during his childhood. Screenshot from the Federalist Society website

J.D Vance, the U.S. Vice President, also discussed this issue in detail in his memoir "Hillbilly Elegy." In Jackson, Ohio, where he spent his childhood, low-income households reportedly purchased dozens of boxes of soda every month. Young parents would give soda to their babies instead of baby food, and many children suffered from a dental condition known as "Mountain Dew Mouth," where their front teeth decayed.

The intense sweetness and low price of soft drinks have become a poison for low-income people who have not received proper nutrition and health education. Reflecting on this, Vice President Vance wrote, "Humans tend to exaggerate their inner goodness and ignore their foolish sides."

Improving Public Awareness Is Key

Recently, the U.S. federal government has been considering a ban on purchasing soda with food stamps. Under the leadership of Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr., some states such as Nebraska and Indiana have already removed soda from the list of items that can be purchased with food stamps, and Texas is reportedly considering the same measure.

However, there is considerable opposition. Some civic groups are concerned that restricting the list of items that can be purchased with food stamps infringes on the 'freedom of choice' of low-income individuals. Most notably, beverage manufacturers are strongly opposed. The American Beverage Association, which includes Coca-Cola and Pepsi, recently issued an official statement on its website, arguing that "low-income individuals should have the freedom to choose the foods and drinks that are best for them," and that "restricting SNAP will not improve health; instead, it will put the government in the position of deciding which foods are good and which are bad."

Experts emphasize the need to improve public awareness in the United States regarding soft drinks. They argue that if clear data are made available and publicized about the changes excessive soda consumption causes in the human body, soda consumption could be limited. Carpenter said, "Many public health professors have conducted extensive research on the health impacts of soda and have insisted that obtaining data through experiments is the most reasonable approach." He added, "Although the beverage industry's opposition has made the process of obtaining data difficult, we are now seeing the results of these efforts."