Cigarettes and tobacco are not eligible. The clerk was fired for the "these other people probably don't want to buy your smokes" remark. The outcome might have been different if she'd said something like "that product isn't eligible for purchase on an EBT card."
With some cards they can buy smokes and beer, read the story.
And I know this lady and she doesn’t take any crap.
The following DFA programs are eligible to receive benefits using EBT:
There are ways around it. Almost all large grocery stores rely on the bar code on every package. This tells the register (really a computer) what the item is. Then the computer can tally the total food items and non food items. The user swipes their EBT card selects the “food stamps/food” button on the pin pad, the computer deducts the amount from the total that the EBT card is qualified to pay for and the customer is left with the cash total (that the cash portion of the EBT card can also pay).
Now.. the small mom and pop gas station/convenience store. Many of these establishments rely on a simple cash register and CC terminal. It’s up to the cashier to know what can, or can not be paid for with EBT. Since the EBT card is swiped through a second terminal it does NOT know what is being paid for and thus, until audited, the store could sell anything, smokes, gas, propane and bill it to a EBT card using the food benefits. There are stories of smaller shops getting busted for food stamp fraud all the time.
There is also the very possible chance this “customer” was attempting to pay for his smokes with the cash benefits many get. Since they are linked to the same card the only way to know if they get cash benefits is to run the card as a EBT/Cash transaction. As wrong as it may sound, the “cash” benefit is just that. Cash. It can be spent on anything or even withdrawn from a ATM in cash.
(Yes I know a bit about this. No I do not have a EBT card. But I do install/repair/maintain Point Of Sale equipment in grocery stores and a rather large “mart” that sees a a lot of EBT cards)
“that product isn’t eligible for purchase on an EBT card.”
But it is. If the card holder also gets a “cash” benefit the card CAN be used to pay for smokes.
Sad.. but true.
You’re talking about the food stamp program. With that program, you’re right - you can’t buy cigarettes. But, there is a cash assistance program that is separate from the food stamp program - and both programs can be loaded onto one electronic card.
Instead of people carrying one card for food stamps and then getting another and separate card for the cash assistance program - they simply put the two programs onto one card.
And thus, if you’re using that card as the “food stamp program” - you can’t buy cigarettes. But, if you’re using that card as the “cash assistance program” - you can use the cash for ANYTHING you want to buy.