The Drug Of Drug Testing Welfare Recipients

Is it fair that in order to obtain a job, some people go through drug testing while drug and alcohol abusers receive free, no strings attached, financial assistance (see appendix A)? Food stamps and Medicaid are provided to low and no income Americans who would otherwise do without. According to heritage.org, a majority of the illegal drug use in American adults is tied to unemployed citizens. While there are many people who disagree with testing welfare recipients, the truth is that the pros greatly outweigh the cons. The long term improvements that drug testing will have on the country are substantial. The wellbeing and stability of America’s children, unemployment, fairness across the board for all Americans and the economy; all play

After one year of receiving benefits, welfare recipients should be able to find employment and become self-sufficient without governmental assistance. Following one calendar year of receiving benefits, there is a reasonable suspicion that the recipient may be using drugs that hinder securing employment. A majority of employers drug test newly hired employees so it is not unreasonable to test those in assistance while they seek employment. That data collected from Florida’s failed attempt to drug test applicants does not accurately show the percentage of welfare recipients that abuse drug because many refused to take the tests while the law was in

In 2010, 17.5% of unemployed adults collecting some sort of welfare failed drug tests. In 2011, 23.8% of welfare recipients admitted to using illegal drugs, including marijuana. The problem the United States if facing is that welfare recipients are using the cash they are given to purchase illegal drugs. Many of these people purchasing illegal drugs had prior illegal drug abuse problems and some of these people believe that since they are given this “free” money, they can continue on with these addictions instead of finding the help they need to get back onto their own two feet. Many employers ask all of their job applicants for a drug test to even be considered for the job, so why shouldn’t the government ask the same for people looking

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).

So what are the opinions of the individuals within the country? It’s a very controversial topic within the states, and people have very strong opinions regarding drug testing recipients of welfare. There aren’t many with a ‘middle’ opinion. They normally take one side of the argument. People who passionately believe anyone who receives welfare should be tested, and there are many people who swing the complete opposite way and essentially believe that it’s unconstitutional.

The United States has many welfare programs, such a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), that provide social welfare payments to those in need. Welfare recipients statistically have a higher potential to use illicit drugs, making it more difficult to secure a job. Often, these benefits are abused by drug users those who lack the ability or motivation to find employment and become self-sufficient. Incorporating drug testing into the welfare systems allows the government to provide those with drug addictions the needed treatment and suspend the benefits from those who continue to use drug and test positive after treatment. In the long run, there will be a costs savings

To test or not to test has been has been the question at hand for many states that are dealing with whether or not to pass the law that welfare recipients should or should not be drug tested in order to receive assistance from the government. Florida was the first state to mandate the law in 2011 and thereafter twenty four other states in the last year have also passed this law with our own state of Oklahoma being one of them. Although alcohol is legal it is abused far more than marijuana or hard core drugs, According to the 1996 study by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism the differences between the proportion of welfare and non-welfare recipients using illegal drugs are statistically insignificant. Although some states have decided to pass the law for welfare recipients in order receive government assistance, I believe it’s ineffective to drug test these welfare recipients in order to receive their benefits. Welfare in the United States commonly refers to the federal government welfare programs that have been put in place to assist the unemployed or underemployed. Help is extended to the poor through a variety of government welfare programs that include the Women, Infants, and Children Program which is referred to as WIC, Medicaid, and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families commonly known as TANF and Aid to Families with Dependent Children.

This proposal points out how Texas should adopt drug testing policy for welfare recipients. We researched the state of Oklahoma, its efforts to improve its well-being, the decreased amount of welfare recipients received while increasing employment and the welfare program abilities. Texas is currently reopening this Bill and reconsidering this proposal for drug testing all welfare recipients. This will allow all of Texas welfare recipient’s access to different programs for personal improvement, job opportunists and economic growth.

United States lawmakers face one of the most pressing issues of our time-welfare reform. New screening processes, often considered a direct violation of constitutional rights, have already been enacted in many states. Strong evidence exists, asserting that the practice of administering drug testing to welfare recipients will cost the U.S. taxpayers more money in the long run, stigmatize applicants and participants, and serve only the purpose of making the pharmaceutical companies more powerful. In order to protect the constitutional rights of potential welfare recipients, United States lawmakers should avoid further criminalizing the poor by submitting them to drug testing and/or a nationwide welfare registry.

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.

The history of social welfare can be traced back to ancient times, but the time most influential to the start of social welfare programs in the United States occurred during the great depression. In 1935, then President Theodore Roosevelt introduced the Social Security Act. This act guaranteed pensions, unemployment insurance, and help for children and the disabled. The Works Progress Administration was also put in to place and helped unemployed people find jobs (HISTORY.COM-New Deal). A proposition to mandate drug testing for recipients has been brought up in more recent times, namely by Governor Rick Scott (R) of Florida. This move has raised the question as to whether or not it is ethical to deny American citizens their right to

Prevalence rates of substance use among welfare recipients varies greatly, from 4 to 37 percent. This variation can be due to different data sources and measurement methods as well as what the threshold is defining substance use and whether alcohol is considered an illicit substance (Amundson et al., 2014; ASPE, 2011). In 1999, Michigan conducted drug tests for a five-week period. Of the 268 recipients screened, only 21 tested positive, mostly for marijuana (Amundson et al., 2014). In 2011, before Florida’s program was halted by a District judge, 4,086 TANF recipients were tested and 108 of those tests yielded positive results, again, mostly for marijuana (Amundson et al., 2014). Of the states that have enacted drug testing laws, the results vary from .002 percent (Arizona) to 8.89 percent (Oklahoma) (Covert and Israel, 2015). Appendix II shows the number of positive drug test results in each state that has enacted drug testing laws. The national drug use rate is 9.4 percent, which shows that of the states that have enacted laws regarding drug testing, recipients use drugs less than those in the general population (Covert and Israel,

Imagine taking the money you rightfully earned through hard work and countless hours spent at work and throwing it all away, using it on items that are essentially a waste of your money and time. Suppose I told you that this very problem is present in our very own state, city, and county. Currently welfare recipients are given your tax paying money for their own pleasure, pleasure meaning drugs rather than resources and ways to improve their lives and their means of living. In efforts to help this issue we must begin testing individuals who receive welfare for drugs. Welfare recipients should be required to be drug tested because it could lower the crime rate, lowering the use of drugs overall, and create efficient government spending.

One of the many goals of the American Welfare System is to provide financial assistance to U.S citizens who are unable to support themselves. Government funds are provided in hopes that many of these able bodied citizens will eventually find a way to become financially independent and economically productive. However, there is a percentage of welfare recipients that use their government funding to purchase and abuse illicit drugs. When welfare is abused in this manner, the system loses credibility and the long-term goals of seeing financially self-sufficient citizens, and economic progress on both micro and macro levels, are not only compromised, they are regressed by the negative impacts of illegal drug use. The most common (and commonly debated) method of weeding out citizens who choose to abuse the welfare system is enforcing mandatory drug testing on all welfare recipients. This method is an ongoing controversy involving elements of legality, economics, budget analysis, a violation of rights, the allocation of government funds, and discriminatory stereotypes of welfare recipients. Regardless of the diverse array of fundamental complexities involved with executing or rejecting this preventative procedure, most Americans’ opinions are simply based

Drug screens are now required in Eastern Florida (“Drug Testing Issues Emerge as States Overhaul Welfare”2). The US welfare provides temporary financial assistance. Welfare allows people to maintain a healthy lifestyle (“Point: The Welfare System should not Support Drug Users”2). We are going to start seeing challenges in programs where you have to submit a urine screening for illegal drugs (Drug Testing Issues Emerge as States Overhaul Welfare”2). Nearly half of women on welfare worked at least part time at one time in their life (Cunha 1). There are some women out here that’s driving around in nice vehicles while nobody in the family works, and they take advantage of their welfare benefits (Cunha 1). There are different kinds of programs that families can get in that will help them. One of those programs are (TANF) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (DiLascio, M. 1).In 1996, States were allowed to give drug tests to applicants for (TANF) before approving (DiLascio, M.