Maine’s top health official, DHHS Commissioner Mary Mayhew, is urging the feds to ban soda and candy from the food stamp program.

She argues the sweets waste tax dollars and contribute to the obesity rate in Maine. USDA data found that soda accounts for 5% of food stamp spending or about $13 million a year in Maine. Mayhew also says food stamp funding should be used in a more impactful way by sending millions of dollars to banks, schools and community groups for food distribution instead of nutrition education.

 

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