Indiana prepares for SNAP ban on sugary drinks, candy to take effect Jan. 1

(INDIANA CAPITAL CHRONICLE) — Beginning Jan. 1, more than half a million low-income Indiana residents won’t be able to use government food assistance to buy sugary drinks or candy. And state officials are preparing retailers and participants for the changes.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is the nation’s largest anti-hunger initiative.

But leaders in Indiana and beyond aim to reshape what recipients can buy, citing poor public health metrics.

“This isn’t the usual top-down, one-size-fits-all public health agenda,” Braun said in a Monday news release. “We’re focused on root causes … and taking on the problems in government programs that are contributing to making our communities less healthy.”

The changes, dubbed “Smart SNAP,” are part of the “Make Indiana Healthy Again” plan launched in April by Gov. Mike Braun’s administration, with celebrity support.