I live in a mixed-income neighborhood in Harlem but do most of my grocery shopping at Whole Foods. When I run into a particular ingredient shortage, I head to the local bodega just up the street. It never ceases to amaze me when I see my fellow neighbors buying chips, soda-pop, ice cream, candy and cheap processed--if you can call it--food with food stamps.
In the news recently, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is seeking to ban sugary drinks from the food stamp program...yet, I see ads all around town trying to fight this proposal. This is the same guy who banned smoking in bars & restaurants, trans fats from restaurant food and forced chain restaurants to post calorie counts on their menus. New York officials wrote that spending government money on "foods of little or no nutritional value not only contradicts the intent of the program, it also effectively subsidizes a serious public health epidemic." Bloomberg has said, "Sugar-sweetened drinks are not worth the cost to our health, and government shouldn't be promoting or subsidizing them."
Next up: the salt ban...Bloomberg plans on tackling the amount of sodium allowed in foods by getting manufacturing companies to commit to voluntarily reducing sodium in their foods. A man after my heart...!
The cigarette ban certainly worked for me...I quit smoking when the smoking ban took effect. In addition to it not being 'cool' anymore, it was easier not to light up if nobody else was doing it. I hope the sugar, salt, trans-fat, calorie-counting initiatives work for others the way the smoking ban worked for me!!
I totally agree with this! Why are people trying to stop it? They say gov. shouldn't have a say in what you eat, course they should if government is paying for it!
ReplyDeleteI don't agree. Do you really want the government controlling more and more of your personal choices?
ReplyDeleteIf they ban the use of food stamps for sugary, salty, etc. foods, the food stamp users will just sell their food stamps to someone else for cash and use that cash for the stuff they want. They already do that.
The companies who make this stuff do so because that is what people want. Quit buying it and the demand goes down and so will the supply, to be replaced with another product. It should be more about personal responsibility and education about healthier options.
Food Stamps are a privilege, a bridge between starvation and bounty...a stepping stone when life hands you lemons. I believe it's even more important to eat healthy foods during this critical time because a smart choice can mean good health and keep you away from the doctor (likely during this time they may not have health insurance).
ReplyDeleteJunk food is just that: junk. Empty calories. If I, as a paying citizen, am helping subsidize your dirty habits, shame on you!
Well, as they say You are what You eat. Pay attention to what goes in, and you will feel a lot better after you eat that organic, fresh salad instead of the alternative...processed, filled with preservatives products. It's more expensive, but it is worth it. Food Stamps are just that. meant to feed people food.
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