1 week Ago
I would like to publicly thank Gov. Jim Pillen for requesting the removal of pop and energy drinks from the SNAP program, as well as Sen. Tom Brandt for his multi-year efforts to remove the tax exemptions for pop and candy with LB170 this legislative session.
Programs to subsidize food and nutrition should be used for food, not pop and energy drinks. As Gov. Pillen correctly states “pop is not a food group,” and no health expert would disagree with that statement.
SNAP stands for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. None of these products are considered nutritious, so should not be supplemented by government funds. Reducing the consumption of pop, energy drinks and candy has been the long-term goal for public health and nutrition experts for decades.
Both of these policy efforts will help reduce the consumption of unhealthy products leading to improvements in overall health, reduced health disparities, and lower overall health care costs. I encourage others to support their efforts. People are also reading.
.. Bob Rauner, MD, MPH Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!.
