Maine's top health official on Monday proposed banning the purchase of soda and candy under the federal aid program known as food stamps, describing the move as needed to counter an "alarming epidemic of obesity" among the state's poor.
In their formal request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which must approve any change in rules related to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, state officials said the shift would help control the rising costs of healthcare for overweight, low-income patients.
A 2012 study by a University of Maine researcher put the annual medical costs of obesity in Maine at $452.7 million.
"Healthy eating has the potential of trimming the waistline of both the benefit recipients and state government," said Maine Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew.
Mayhew, who was appointed by Republican Governor Paul LePage, a Tea Party activist who has made welfare reform a priority, said the majority of state residents who receive food stamps are also on Medicaid, the federal health-care program for low-income people.
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14 comments:
They should do home inspections as well...To make sure they are not scamming the system.
This should be a national trend.
When we give our money to feed others, we expect that what they buy to eat will be nourishing. The empty calories in white sugar and corn syrup are just that -- empty -- no nutrients, no fiber, no protein, no anything but sugars.
It's not only healthier to buy "real" food, it's also cheaper.
Nothing worse than see them buying a Bushel of Crabs.
Yes you can buy Crabs with food stamps. Amazing
I Am on foodstamps and worked for it ,but i agree it should not allow soda chips candy.
10:35
I have seen them do it! They can not use their food stamps to buy steamed crabs. It will only pay for live crabs, they just pay cash for them to be steamed.
That's the way it used to be when it all started.
I agree wish all states would adopt this, it is healthier and their $ would go a lot further. They should do like most seniors plan meals ahead to be covered by food stamps, buy store priced items as often as possible just as good as name brands. Do not buy sodas, steaks,lobsters and more expensive items chicken and hamburger can be bought in bulk and can really stretch your $ more. I take my meats and put them in freezer bags by portion. Powdered drinks are cheaper and you can make gallons instead of can drinks. Frozen and fresh vegetables can be frozen in portions. If you try these and stick to it a while you will see a savings.
Every place I know of, steams them "free" with purchase.
There's a sign at the 7-11 on Nanticoke Road right at the intersection, advertising pizza "EBT Eligible". They buy the pizza itself and it is heated up fresh for them to carry out.
Those who don't work, don't need "convenience foods". They have all the time in the world to budget, cut coupons, shop for what's on sale, plan menus, and prepare healthy, decent food for themselves and their families.
It should be a no to candy soda junk food but a yes to soap shampoo toilet paper.
One of the biggest problems is so few of the twenty-somethings (and thirty somethings) actually know how to cook.
They grow. Up on fastfood and wonder y they have strokes and diabetes and high blood pressure.
It should be the staples needed to cook meals and no prepared foods.
It should be mandatory that welfare recipients can only shop in certain aisles and only buy generic items. Then maybe they will be embarrassed enough to get a damn job and fix their lifestyles!!
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