The plaintiffs claim that either they or family members rely on the restricted foods to manage health conditions such as diabetes and allergies
Food stamp recipients have filed a lawsuit against the Agriculture Department over agency restrictions in 22 states on candy as well as energy and sugary drinks.
The suit was filed Wednesday in federal court in Washington, D.C., by a private firm and the National Center for Law and Economic Justice, which advocates for low-income people, on behalf of five plaintiffs.
The plaintiffs argue the restrictions “destabilize food access” for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAPS, in the states in which the USDA has approved the “food restriction” waivers, according to Reuters.
The plaintiffs live in Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee and West Virginia, and said that either they or family members rely on the restricted foods to manage health conditions such as diabetes and allergies, or to obtain energy boosts to conduct their daily lives.
According to the lawsuit, the waivers cause confusion at the checkout line and irreparable harm by forcing the plaintiffs to choose between spending cash on restricted items or forgoing spending money on rent and transportation.
The Tennessee plaintiff, Amanda Johnson of Knoxville, claims that letting her state’s waiver take effect would restrict her autistic 19-year-old daughter to only three “safe” foods and beverages because of a serious eating disorder. She said that her daughter’s other six safe foods, including M&M’s and Welch’s fruit punch, would not be covered by SNAP.
How much money are junk food and sugar product companies shoveling to lobbyists and government representatives?
Those poor freeloaders can’t have their snacks any more. They just might lose a hundred pounds or so.
Have anything you want. But pay for it yourself like the rest of us!
Who knew that consuming sugary junk food was a method to ” to manage health conditions such as diabetes and allergies, or to obtain energy boosts to conduct their daily lives.”? Do Big Pharma and Big Ag know about this?