Federal Judge Blocks State Bans On Buying Soda And Candy With Food Stamps

U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson has blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to permit five states to ban the purchase of sugary drinks and candy using food stamps. The ruling asserts that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) lacked the legal authority to approve state waivers for pilot projects aimed at restricting food purchases within the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), marking a significant setback for the administration’s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ initiative.