In New York City, Mayor, Michael Bloomberg is pushing for a ban on using food stamps to purchase soda. The city has 1.7 million food stamp recipients this will affect. The reasoning behind this is that obesity and diabetes are increasing in the city and this may help lower those conditions. Not using the food stamps on this "junk food" will allow them to be used on foods with actual nutritional value. This new policy idea allows both a push for healthy society as well as a reason to ensure that food stamps are used in the proper manner rather than on junk food. I think that this is a step in the right direction for both NYC and the country. I would like to see this policy adopted on a larger scale in both a geographical perspective of the policy and a scope of items covered in the policy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/nyregion/07stamps.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper
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I agree with Alex. I think by inserting a policy that increases the nutritional value of what lower income families consume, can lead to a healthier lifestyle. If people in this category are healthier then they will need less medical attention and therfore are more able to find jobs. The governement is providing you with these food stamps and therfore have the right to tell you what you can and cannot buy with them. I believe that the government can even go further with this policy and make even more types of food prohibited.
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