Arkansas will prohibit the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for purchasing candy and soda starting Wednesday, July 1, 2026. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the plan on Monday, June 29, 2026.

The Arkansas program is being implemented under the same regulations as projects in Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Last week, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson in Washington vacated the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approval of pilot projects that allowed new SNAP restrictions in those states. Judge Jackson ruled that the USDA did not follow its own regulations for implementing a pilot project and that the projects were not permitted under the statute the USDA cited.

Arkansas is one of 23 states that received a waiver to restrict the purchase of some sugary foods and drinks with SNAP benefits. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins have advocated for the ban as part of the "Make America Healthy Again" campaign. The governor's office referenced Stanford University research indicating that limiting the purchase of sugary drinks with food stamps could decrease rates of obesity and type-2 diabetes.

The state has contracted a third-party vendor to compile a list of prohibited items for retail stores. Additionally, Arkansas has developed an application for SNAP beneficiaries to check which items are eligible for purchase. SNAP benefits are currently used by nearly 42 million Americans and cannot be used to buy hot prepared foods.

Governor Sanders stated, "Our state has been approving food stamp purchases for soft drinks and candy, while on another floor, our state's Medicaid program is paying to treat the chronic diseases those products can help create." She added, "Arkansas is moving full speed ahead, because we won't wait around while our people get less and less healthy and we spend more and more taxpayer dollars trying to fix the problem." David Super, a law professor at Georgetown University, said that federal district courts generally no longer issue nationwide injunctions after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year. Super noted that "Arkansas' decision to go forward with the program is putting that to the extreme test."

Why It Matters

The decision by Arkansas to ban the use of SNAP benefits for candy and soda aligns with broader efforts to address public health concerns through nutrition policy. This policy change could affect how nearly 42 million Americans use their SNAP benefits if similar measures are adopted more widely. The implementation occurs despite a recent federal court ruling that vacated USDA approvals for similar pilot programs in other states.

The state government anticipates that the ban will lead to better health outcomes and a reduction in healthcare costs associated with chronic diseases. The use of a third-party vendor and a dedicated app aims to facilitate compliance for both retailers and SNAP beneficiaries. This action by Arkansas follows a pattern where states seek to implement their own restrictions on SNAP purchases, potentially setting a precedent for other states interested in similar health-focused regulations.