WEST VIRGINIA (LOOTPRESS) – Beginning Thursday, SNAP recipients in West Virginia will no longer be able to use their benefits to purchase soda.
The change follows a waiver approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that allows states to restrict the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on certain items. More than a dozen states applied for similar waivers.
In West Virginia, the waiver applies specifically to soda and takes effect Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026.
Under the new rule, SNAP benefits will not cover any type of soda, including regular soda, zero-sugar soda, and diet soda. Other SNAP-eligible food and beverage items are not affected by the change.
