Federal Judge Voids SNAP Waivers Restricting Candy and Sugary Drink Purchases in 23 States

The June 23, 2026 ruling halts restrictions already active or scheduled in states including Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia. SNAP serves 39 million participants and operates under a congressional definition permitting any food for home consumption except alcohol, tobacco, and hot prepared items. The court found that nutrition-improvement rationales fall outside waiver authority granted by statute. Plaintiffs argued alternate food definitions used by states exceeded regulatory bounds.

Health data link added sugars to elevated risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, with observational cohorts showing dose-response relationships above 10 percent of daily calories. However, no randomized trial has tested SNAP purchase restrictions as an isolated intervention on clinical endpoints. Prior state attempts, such as New York City's 2012 soda exclusion proposal, were also blocked on administrative grounds rather than health evidence.

The decision aligns with ongoing litigation testing executive authority to alter program rules without new legislation. Agriculture Secretary Rollins signaled continued pursuit of Make America Healthy Again goals, yet the opinion explicitly preserves states' ability to pursue lawful nutrition strategies. Work-requirement expansions enacted in 2025 already increased administrative burdens on the same population.

Next steps hinge on whether USDA files an appeal to the D.C. Circuit within 60 days and whether Congress codifies or rejects purchase limits in the next farm bill cycle. Any revised waiver request must adhere strictly to the existing statutory definition of food.