Arguments Against Mandatory Drug Testing

There is no doubt that those Americans in need of assistance have been subjected to unconstitutional treatment by the welfare program. As a result of the criminal actions of a few, all of the needy are being unfairly scrutinized. The implementation of unfounded drug testing in addition to the already criminalizing application process will only serve to further stigmatize the needy—and all in the name of the mighty dollar. Some believe that it is not the quest to save money that is the driving force behind the push for this legislation. Rather, it is a desire to make millions for the pharmaceutical companies that lawmakers are seeking to achieve.

The process of drug testing individuals who are applying or receiving welfare benefits has recently become the focus of a widely spread controversy. Florida, the first state to pass the law, now requires all individuals applying for public assistance to undergo drug testing. The state of Kentucky, among others, have considered following this trend. State lawmakers hope to prevent the squandering of taxpayer dollars on drugs by proposing similar guidelines. Alabama’s states representative Kerry Rich clearly affirmed his state’s position on the matter, “I don’t think the taxpayers should have to help fund somebody’s drug habit” (qtd. in Time).

In his article, “Should Recipients Be Tested for Drugs?” David Vitter talks about the issue of drug testing people who are on welfare in the US. Vitter believes that annually drug-testing recipients of welfare will stop people from using the money to support their drug habits. He further believes that those who are using drugs and test positive as a result can then get the help that they need.

In today’s America, government aid is highly depended on. The US government has spent $498 billion dollars this year on welfare alone. The state of Tennessee has an average of 250,000 residents on welfare and has $3 billion dollars this year alone. To help cut costs and help tax payers, 36 states, including Tennessee, have proposed a bill to drug test all welfare recipients. Since the beginning of the year, the welfare rate has jumped 7 percent while at the same time, the welfare funds are drying up. Tennessee funds have dropped 17.5 percent, which comes out to be about $215.3 million dollars this year. State lawmakers have proposed that if drug users on welfare are

“If you have enough money to be able to buy drugs, then you don't need public assistance.” Said by Jerry Sonnenberg. For years now many people have wonder why the government doesn't do drug testing when applying for welfare. Many say it's not worth spending government money on, however if the government did do drug testing it could save the government money. I believe that drug testing welfare recipients would benefit our state in different ways. I feel that if the state was to make drug testing mandatory then it would help to prevent welfare fraud. Also it could possibly save the state money in paying out welfare payments. It could possibly weed out the people that

The article, “States Adding Drug Test as Hurdle for Welfare” stated that in three dozen sates proposed drug testing for the people that are on welfare. However, people say that the tax dollars given to them are not being misused and that it’s promoting stereotypes about the poor. the article says that in Florida, people that receive welfare have to pay for their own drug tests. Also, it says that people argued that it was unreasonable to drug test those on welfare and that it was an act of search and seizure. It’s noted that drug tests are getting more and more required for getting jobs. Ellen Brandom, a state representative in Missouri said, “Working people today work very hard to make ends meet, and it just doesn’t seem fair to them that

This quote is taken from Candice Player; in it, she states that 22% of welfare recipients who got assistance reported the use of illicit drugs in one year, compared to thirteen percent of people who did not get aid. “Jayakody and colleagues found that 21% of welfare recipients who received cash assistance reported use of an illegal drug during the past year, compared to 13% of non-recipients” (Player). The statistical information provided by Player showcases how many recipients cheat the welfare system; if drug testing were allowed in all states, that percent would lower all the way to zero. In this next quote, Player shows an example of another year that welfare recipients used illegal drugs while still receiving benefits, as much as ten percent that year. “Excluding marijuana, about 10% of welfare recipients reported use of some other illegal drug during the past year, compared to 7% of non-recipients” (Player). The information is of all the people taking the illegal drugs, excluding marijuana; it demonstrates that if the people can get away with it, they will continue to do so until they are forcefully stopped, in this case by drug screenings. Player goes on to say that in the

There has been an ongoing controversy as to whether welfare recipients should have to have drug testing done. Drug testing will ensure that recipients will not abuse the money they’re given by the government. Having people on welfare take drug test is advantageous because it could save the system money, it would help social workers identify children who are around drug abuse, and it would deter people from purchasing and using illegal drugs; however, it does have a downside such as people who are on prescription medication will show false positives, it can be an invasion of privacy and drug testing can take hundreds and even thousands of dollars to administer.

Drug abuse is a huge epidemic in America, and we need to come for all angles to try and stop it. One of which can be from the welfare side. Drug testing is thought to decrease drug abuse with people on welfare. If people know that they have to pass a drug test to be able to get money for their necessities, it may encourage them to never use in the first place. It also might help them realize they have a problem and help give them a reason to get clean. This is important because an addict needs something to drive them to want to get clean, and knowing they will not receive government assistance if using can be a huge reason to be clean. Also drug testing will make the state aware and available to help the welfare recipients. The Mayor of New York Rudolph W. Giuliani says, “ Welfare recipients who test positive for drugs would be required to enroll in a drug treatment program or join a waiting list for treatment to keep getting benefits.” In Rhode Island a law bans recipients who fail a drug test from getting welfare for a year, unless they complete a substance abuse treatment successfully. Once they do complete treatment they can reapply after six months. Both of these states are giving people that fail a second chance, and maybe their only chance.

The numbers do not lie—little evidence exists that supports the claim that drug testing recipients will save money. Striving to prove that the main source of the drug problem in the United States lies in the recipients of the welfare program, policymakers continue to work fervently. The overgeneralization of the poor as drug users has become common practice in Washington. Lawmakers seem to feel that because recipients receive government funding, they in turn give up their constitutional rights as U.S. citizens. The practice of criminalizing the poor has become commonplace in the creation of U.S. governmental policy.

Should welfare applicants start having to take drug tests to remain on welfare? Some of us have to pass a background check and a drug test to have a job oppuritunity at a new job. Welfare requires basic needs to recieve the benefits, but people using drugs is not a basic need in life. Drug testing people who get assistance, would decrease the amount of people who abuse the system. Randomingly drug tests the reciepents on welfare would benefit tax payers, the system, and others who recieve benefits who are not abusing the system. This situation has defiently been and ongoing debate on weather or not they should start drug testing those on welfare.

“Proponents of these bills believe states can save money by getting drug users who they believe spend government money on drugs, out of the welfare system”, says Jackson. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human services revealed 0.3% of their welfare recipients were indeed using drugs.

With 35.4% of Americans on welfare, and the U.S spending over 131 billion on welfare annually, not including food stamps. People have been looking for a way to cut the costs of welfare for many years. And then Welfare drug testing was proposed. At initial thought it seemed like a grand idea and a great way to cut costs and to eliminate all the drug users in the system, and because of that welfare drug testing has been put into action in 13 states. But, welfare drug testing is completely ineffective. Welfare drug testing should not be allowed because it violates the rights of the welfare recipients, it is stereotyping and discriminating against people on welfare, and it is expensive and ineffective . For all these reasons mandatory

With a new president, and many policies and procedures changing in the government systems, it has recently been brought to many people’s attention how certain recipients in government assistance programs do not use the money correctly. As a result of that many now believe that everyone on government assistance should be drug tested. The welfare system can provide cash, food, housing, medical care, and targeted social services to poor and low income Americans (Duffy). Drug testing the recipients would ensure that no one was receiving aid that was using any type of illegal substance. This is a very controversial issue in today’s society and has both sides fighting hard for what they believe in.

All around the world, taxpayers are paying to help support the welfare programs. "On average, each federal income taxpayer in America spends $8,776 annually to keep federal welfare programs afloat." Most of the time, however, there are the people who abuse the welfare program by using it for drugs. So the legislation has proposed the idea of drug testing welfare applicants. According to Stephanie Larson in the article “Should We Drug Test Welfare Recipients?” currently 62% of large employers in the US have drug testing in the work place. So why not on welfare applicants? Also Pennsylvania has not yet passed legislation on this growing topic. Furthermore, approximately 18.3% of Erie County residents are below the poverty line and 29.2% of the