I'm really not that familiar with EBT/SNAP programs and how they work. If they are using the same funds for medicine/hygeine/child care, then I'd agree its wrong to force them spend more especially if the amount of funds is not changing.
You also made a good point - depending on where you live, getting access to these healthier items may be more difficult and I could see that also causing other issues, like transportation costs, etc.
Sometimes all you have is a Dollar General or wherever depending on where you live. That's not a real "grocery store" but not everywhere has one within a reasonable distance. You could be limited in your food selection whether its your choice or not.
I get it.. there are lots of complications with this.
I appreciate your acknowledgement of my reasoning. But I don't think it's complicated so much as the result of deliberate demonization of poor people due to some people's need to have an "other" to pick on and distract from their personal selfishness, and/or an excuse for racism--not saying that applies to you BTW, please see below.
I'm not American, so I can't claim to know much about it either aside from what is posted in the WR. But I pretty much only ever see whining about poor people and not solutions to make things better for them. Food deserts are real, and the poorer nutrition people suffer as a result impair their ability to ascend the economic ladder and escape their circumstances. Schools in poorer areas being underfunded because they're primarily funded by property taxes are real, and disadvantage the kids who live there, and again, as a result their ability to go on to higher education and ascend the economic ladder is impaired.
Miserable shitbags like TS give zero fucks about any of that.
Correction to the above,
A quick google shows you cannot use EBT for medicine.
But of course, that leaves one wondering where money for that might come from.
EBT food stamps are meant to help low-income individuals and families purchase food. However, there are certain items that cannot be bought with EBT food stamps. Learn more about what these items are in this article.
esquilo.io
- Cleaning supplies – Common household cleaning supplies, including bleach, detergents, soap, and paper products, are not eligible for purchase with EBT food stamps as they are not seen as nutritionally essential.
- Personal care items – Cosmetics, toiletries, and hygiene products, such as shampoo, toothpaste, and deodorant, are ineligible for purchase with EBT food stamps as they are seen as non-essential goods.
In a way, this is even worse:
"Personal hygiene items
One of the limitations of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or commonly known as EBT food stamps is that it cannot be used to purchase personal hygiene items, such as soap, shampoo, and toothpaste. These items are considered non-food products and are not covered by the program.
- Soap: EBT food stamps cannot be used to buy soap, including body wash and hand soap. Soap is considered a hygiene item and is not considered a food item.
- Shampoo: Shampoo is also a personal hygiene item and is not covered by the EBT food stamp program.
- Toothpaste: Toothpaste is another item that cannot be purchased with EBT food stamps. It is considered a hygiene item and not a food item, even though it is used for oral hygiene.
It is essential to note that while EBT food stamps are intended to provide help with purchasing food, certain non-food items are not covered. Personal hygiene items, household products, vitamins, and medicines cannot be purchased with SNAP benefits.
However,
some states have approved implementing government programs that provide low-income families with assistance in purchasing these non-food items. These programs, including the Family Independence Initiative (FII) and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), provide cash assistance to purchase non-food items, including personal hygiene items."
A search for "how do snap recipients pay for things that are not covered" basically said you better hope there are local charities that will help. Meanwhile, people ITT complain, OMG they're buying junk food with OUR money!!!!
