Bonnie Erbe

Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Is Stupid

March 26, 2009 RSS Feed Print

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By Bonnie Erbe, Thomas Jefferson Street blog.

This is one of the dumbest things I've heard recently coming out of state legislatures, forcing thinking people to pose the question: And what is your point?

States consider drug tests for welfare recipients

By TOM BREEN, Associated Press Writer Thu Mar 26, 9:28 am ET

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Want government assistance? Just say no to drugs.

Lawmakers in at least eight states want recipients of food stamps, unemployment benefits or welfare to submit to random drug testing.

The effort comes as more Americans turn to these safety nets to ride out the recession. Poverty and civil liberties advocates fear the strategy could backfire, discouraging some people from seeking financial aid and making already desperate situations worse.

Those in favor of the drug tests say they are motivated out of a concern for their constituents' health and ability to put themselves on more solid financial footing once the economy rebounds. But proponents concede they also want to send a message: you don't get something for nothing.

"Nobody's being forced into these assistance programs," said Craig Blair, a Republican in the West Virginia Legislature who has created a Web site — notwithmytaxdollars.com — that bears a bobble-headed likeness of himself advocating this position. "If so many jobs require random drug tests these days, why not these benefits?"

Uh, right. And if they test positive—then what? Throw functioning drug addicts, who aren't committing crimes against anyone but their own bodies, in jail? It's a different story with violent criminals, but alcoholics and low-scale drug users? There's no room! Our jails are already overflowing.

Everyone knows drug addicts have to "hit bottom" before they reform. Far as I'm concerned, living on welfare is already "hitting bottom," and forcing them into homeless shelters isn't going to get them any closer to recovery. Besides, there aren't enough spaces in cheap or free recovery programs. So the point of this was, what?

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The state doesnt have to pay for the drug testing, it should be deducted out of the check that they get. And the service can be contracted out, the same as what employers do to ensure that employees are clean before they are given a chance to make a pay check. True drug addicts are running to the first health food store and buying what they need to flush their bodies clean anyway, they know the system.

Velma of TX 9:50PM March 11, 2013

If I have to drug test to make a work pay check, and can loose my income for using drugs, then anyone who is collecting a check from the welfare system shoud have to be tested and loose their check if they are using drugs. If they are able to buy drugs why do they need government money for food? I work, I collect my check, I buy food. i dont have the money to buy drugs off the street and cry about poor me,,,,Welfare programs today cost more than what is spent on National defense, and for what? for drug abuse to be supported instead of children. I dont think so.

Velma Ronquille of TX 9:47PM March 11, 2013

I realize this post is a couple years old but I am doing a speech for a communications class on this topic and stumbled upon it while doing research (which I highly suggest you do if you still feel this way).
The point is, it gives people with drug and alcohol addiction another reason to come clean. It gives them a choice they may not of otherwise been forced to make. It also has the potential to save tax payers money because some drug and alcohol users would rather not submit to a test and would instead look for viable income to support there habits instead of us doing it for them. We already poor millions of dollars a year into recovery programs, can you spare another $400/ month to support my habits? Don't be so naive to think your not already paying for it though, because you are...we all are.
Drug testing for state assistance isn't about throwing people into our already over crowded jails, its about insuring the money is being put to good use. In fact. Not once did I see an article that indicated those who came up positive would be subject to jail time, instead they would be suspended from any and all assistance they're receiving until they agreed to and fulfilled some sort of recovery program. As part of that program they would also be subject to further testing to insure they remained clean for the duration of their assistance.
Not that this matters but I was a drug addict for several years, after that I drank myself under that table for 2 years straight while trying to cope with a divorce. I was also on welfare during most of this. I understand dependency but more importantly I understand myself and had I been subject to any form of testing to receive the assistance I was getting, I would have came clean alot faster. I realize not everyone shares my way of thinking and my priorities however, I do have hope that there are MANY out there that do. I strongly believe drug testing would be a positive thing for our Nation and its people.

Leo of ID 3:18PM November 23, 2011

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