Exciting news from Maryland: Montgomery County and Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission have passed policies that will expand healthy drinks and snacks offered in county and park vending machines. At least 50 percent of items in machines will meet American Heart Association recommended nutrition standards for sugar, salt, fat and other measures, and every drink machine will offer bottled water. The policies will apply to any vending machine service contract entered into on or after July 1, 2017.For the next two years, 50 percent of snacks in machines on county and park property need to meet American Heart Association recommended nutrition standards for sugar, salt, fat and other measures. After that, the percentage of healthy foods and drinks offered will be required to rise to 65 percent.The M-NCPPC is a bi-county agency that oversees a regional system of more than 1,700 parks and recreation facilities within Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, serving approximately 2 million residents.Congratulations to Sugar Free Kids Maryland and American Heart Association advocates for their work to pass the bill!