SNAP

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the government program that provides food stamps and it is issued through cards called EBT (electronic benefit transfer). These cards replaced food stamps which were more costly to issue and also caused some users to feel self-conscious. When the name was changed from food stamps to SNAP the list of items that could be purchased was limited to healthy food. No more junk food. The use of these benefits has increased from 40 billion per year in 2008 to 80 billion per year in 2013. This increase is attributed to three things. First is the recession, second government workers going out to encourage people to take advantage of the cards and third, fraud. There are no reliable statistics on fraud but here is how it works. There are stores around the country that will offer cash at 50 cents on the dollar for the card and many who are addicted will use that money to buy drugs. So much for not buying junk food! Recently in an attempt to counteract that, states have started drug testing applicants for SNAP but a judge has ruled that unconstitutional. Most people who apply for jobs find out they will be drug tested and this is also the case with certain government jobs. This does not apply to members of congress. In a separate story several states have passed laws limiting the use of EBT cards at liquor stores, race tracks and casinos.