Why Bloomberg's Plan to Ban Soda for Food Stamps Will Fizzle
As part of an ambitious initiative to fight obesity, New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg is asking the federal government for permission to prevent city residents from using their food stamps to buy soda and other sugary drinks. It's a contentious idea that's been attempted before -- and the USDA, which oversees the food stamp program, is never going to allow it.
That's because officials would have to overlook the two-pronged threat Bloomberg's plan poses to the beverage industry, and the USDA, which doesn't often rise above politics and industry jockeying, isn't likely to do that.
Firstly, there's the seismic symbolic blow that yanking soda from the food stamp program would represent. Setting up a system that demonizes a particular food choice violates the food industry's number one rule -- that there are no bad foods. Even soda. Some in the food industry worry that after they come for soda, other products -- double-fudge cookies, perhaps -- will be next.
Bloomberg's ban would also affect sports drinks, energy drinks and most iced teas, since they have more than 10 calories per 8 ounces, though fruit juices without added sugar, milk products and milk substitutes would be excluded.
Then there's the economic hit. According to New York City data sent to NYU's Marion Nestle, anywhere between $75 million to $135 million is at stake here. That's the estimated amount of food stamp dollars spent on sweetened beverages in New York City in 2009. If other states or municipalities (hello, San Francisco) follow New York's lead, the numbers start to get big fast.
On some level, Bloomberg's plan makes sense. The federal government doesn't let food stamp recipients squander taxpayers funds to buy cigarettes, alcoholic beverages or pricey prepared foods. So why not include soda and maybe candy on that list? Food stamps, now called the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, are designed to provide basic nourishment to people in need, and soda offers no actual nutritional value.
But this isn't an argument the USDA is likely to take seriously. Six years ago, it denied a request by Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty to prevent food stamp recipients from buying soda, candy and other junk food, arguing that such a move would "perpetuate the myth" that food stamp users make poor shopping decisions.
Of course they do, as do many other Americans, 68% of whom are overweight.
Regardless of the outcome of Bloomberg's food stamp fight, his crusade against soda will go on. This week, the city introduced new ads in its "Pour on the Pounds" campaign, showing a man drinking 16 packets of sugar, the amount contained in a 20 ounce soda. And here may be Bloomberg's ultimate legacy, as the guy who doesn't care about being called the nutrition super nanny, who laid the political groundwork and moved us closer to the day when soda joins cigarettes and liquor as public evils.
Image by Flckr user Kevin Steele
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