The American Heart Association, committed to changing the future of health for everyone everywhere, is standing with Arkansas health officials in their efforts to reduce sugary drink consumption in the face of fierce opposition by the soda industry. The Association submitted written comments today in support of the state's application to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for approval to prohibit sugary beverage purchases within the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Association calls upon the USDA to quickly grant the waiver.
For decades, the soda industry has opposed efforts by the Association and others to pass meaningful public policies to address the overconsumption of sugary drinks. This outrageous behavior continues with the industry's opposition to removing sugary drinks from SNAP, even though sugary drinks are among the most purchased items by SNAP participants.
"Arkansas and other states across the country are standing up to the soda industry and taking bold moves to improve the health of their citizens," said Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association. "The facts are clear - sugary drinks are the largest source of added sugars in the U.S. diet, and sugary drink consumption can lead to cardiovascular disease."
"The American Heart Association is committed to removing sugary drinks from SNAP, and we are proud to stand in support Arkansas's efforts to do so over the soda industry's unconscionable opposition," Brown said. "As an organization that has opposed Big Soda for decades, we have worked tirelessly to pass public policies that effectively reduce consumption of sugary drinks. The soda industry is using the same desperate playbook to deceive the public and undermine public policies that could benefit public health."
The Association is committed to the shared goal of decreasing sugary beverage consumption and increasing consumption of healthy foods. In addition to advocating for reducing sugary drink consumption in SNAP, the Association has worked with public health partners across the country to increase sugary beverage taxes in Philadelphia, Seattle and communities across California, including Santa Cruz most recently in November 2024. The Santa Cruz sugary drink tax takes effect May 1.
