Using the Food Stamp Program and Other Methods to Promote Healthy Diets for Low-Income Consumers

The author reflects on the possibility of using the U.S. food stamp program to promote healthy diets in low income consumers. He suggests that if the program disallows the purchase of tobacco and alcohol because of the health risks that are associated with them then foods and beverages with excessive levels of sugar should be disallowed as well. He argues that efforts to limit food stamp purchases to healthy foods would draw intense opposition from food and beverage manufacturers.