Drug Testing
Mandatory Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients
Introduction
Mandatory drug testing for welfare recipients is a controversial issue. Should the government hold people accepting government entitlement’s accountable for illegal drug use or would this type of action cross the boundary of civil liberties into an invasion of privacy? The government has a vested interest in getting welfare recipients back into the working population. Holding welfare recipients accountable for illicit drug use only ensures the government’s monetary investment in human resources is protected. Mandatory drug testing for welfare recipients would be beneficial to the state despite its initial cost to initiate the program.
There are many benefits of Mandatory Drug Testing Welfare Recipients. The state of Florida implemented a mandatory drug testing program for their welfare recipients. According to studies, the drug testing program cost the state $45,580. Only 2% of the applicants tested positive for illegal drugs (White, 2012). The purpose of the program is to ensure government funds aren’t subsidizing a drug habit. Proponents of the law in Florida insist that drug testing must expand. “The drug testing law was really meant to make sure that kids were protected, that our money wasn’t going to addicts,” Chris Cinquemani of the Florida-based Foundation for Government Accountability, told the New York Times. On paper the mandatory drug testing program costs more than the program saves, but the savings can be made through those getting help to stay off drugs. I believe many lives could be changed through the realization their addictions are costing them the opportunity to receive federal dollars to restart their lives. If this program keeps the low income at-risk population off of drugs, there would be savings made by having less drug users out of prison. These are examples of the intangible savings that cannot be measured.
Most people are reluctant to disclose having a substance
Introduction
Mandatory drug testing for welfare recipients is a controversial issue. Should the government hold people accepting government entitlement’s accountable for illegal drug use or would this type of action cross the boundary of civil liberties into an invasion of privacy? The government has a vested interest in getting welfare recipients back into the working population. Holding welfare recipients accountable for illicit drug use only ensures the government’s monetary investment in human resources is protected. Mandatory drug testing for welfare recipients would be beneficial to the state despite its initial cost to initiate the program.
There are many benefits of Mandatory Drug Testing Welfare Recipients. The state of Florida implemented a mandatory drug testing program for their welfare recipients. According to studies, the drug testing program cost the state $45,580. Only 2% of the applicants tested positive for illegal drugs (White, 2012). The purpose of the program is to ensure government funds aren’t subsidizing a drug habit. Proponents of the law in Florida insist that drug testing must expand. “The drug testing law was really meant to make sure that kids were protected, that our money wasn’t going to addicts,” Chris Cinquemani of the Florida-based Foundation for Government Accountability, told the New York Times. On paper the mandatory drug testing program costs more than the program saves, but the savings can be made through those getting help to stay off drugs. I believe many lives could be changed through the realization their addictions are costing them the opportunity to receive federal dollars to restart their lives. If this program keeps the low income at-risk population off of drugs, there would be savings made by having less drug users out of prison. These are examples of the intangible savings that cannot be measured.
Most people are reluctant to disclose having a substance
References: (2005). Ibew implements drug testing for officers, reps, management staffed. all students will have:. IBEW Journal, Retrieved from http://www.ibew.org/articles/05journal/0501/p19.htm alvarez, L. (2012, April 17). No savings are found from welfare drug testing. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/18/us/no-savings-found-in-florida-welfare-drug-tests.html?_r=2& Bloom, R. (2012). Just as we suspected: florida saved nothing by drug testing welfare applicants. Retrieved from http://www.aclu.org/blog/criminal-law-reform-racial-justice/just-we-suspected-florida-saved-nothing-drug-testing-welfare Bowers, B. (2011, October 11). Florida is not the first state to require drug testing of welfare applicants. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved from http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/florida-is-not-the-first-state-to-require-drug-testing-of-welfare/1196182 Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs. (2008). Status of drug use in the department of defense personnel. Retrieved from website: http://tricare.mil/tma/DDRP/documents/Fiscal Year 2008 Status of Drug Use in the Department of Defense Personnel.pdf Drug testing and public assistance. (2012, November). Retrieved from http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/human-services/drug-testing-and-public-assistance.aspx Drug testing welfare recipients: recent proposals and continuing controversies . (2011, october). Retrieved from http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/11/DrugTesting/ib.shtml [Web log message]. (2008, April 28). Retrieved from http://hrpeople.monster.com/training/articles/520-six-reasons-why-companies-drug-test [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.aclu.org/blog/tag/drug-testing-welfare-recipients White, J. B. (2012, April 18). Welfare drug testing cost florida $46,000, caught few users International Business times, Retrieved from http://www.ibtimes.com/welfare-drug-testing-cost-florida-46000-caught-few-users-438800