CLEVELAND — This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved Ohio's request to ban the purchase of sugary carbonated beverages with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
According to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, the change to SNAP benefits will go into effect on Oct. 1.
ODJFS said in a news release that the goal of eliminating sugary drinks from the grocery items people can use their benefits for is to have "Ohioans to make healthier choices and to prioritize good nutrition."
The change follows a waiver the State of Ohio sought through the USDA. Specifically, the waiver will prohibit the purchase of drinks that have sugar, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup or other sweeteners as the primary ingredient and have little to no nutritional value.
According to ODJFS, a working group put together by Gov. Mike DeWine "evaluated a wide range of data and expert input, including the impact of nutrition on children’s health, the history and purpose of SNAP, retail logistics, and implementation feasibility."
The state said that the group found that sugary drinks with little to no nutritional value have been linked to diabetes, hypertension, obesity and other chronic health conditions.
Eliminating sugary drinks from SNAP is one way the state aims to combat unhealthy habits, the news release stated.
Other SNAP changes
This isn't the first change announced for SNAP recipients. On the federal level, the U.S. government implemented a requirement that individuals aged 18 to 64 work or volunteer to keep their benefits. Under that new requirement, more individuals will be considered “able-bodied adults” capable of working at least 20 hours weekly. The expanded group now includes adults ages 55-64 and those with children ages 14-18. Veterans, adults aging out of the foster care system, and those experiencing homelessness will no longer qualify for exemptions.
The changes come as part of the federal government’s goal to cut SNAP spending by billions in the coming years.
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News 5's Catherine Ross contributed to this story.
