Drug Testing Argumentative Essay

Argumentative Paper
When you think of welfare what comes to your mind? For most people they think its money that helps those people who are struggling to get by and need help. In today’s society there are more people who use their welfare money to buy drugs instead of diapers for their infant children. Checking people for drugs that receive pubic assistance would not only save money, but then those people may have a better chance when they continue into the workforce. Others think that drug testing people who receive assistance is discrimination and a violation of privacy.
In the state of Arizona welfare recipients are asked three questions about drug use. If they answer yes to any of the following questions then they are sent to drug testing.
If they test positive for drugs then they lose their benefits for a year. This is a good way to start looking into drug testing welfare recipients; you’re not spending a bunch of money doing random testing you are only testing those that answer yes to certain questions as they have started doing in the state of Arizona.
According to Chris Gentilviso As of April 11, 2013 it was reported that North Dakota, Wyoming, Maine, Washington, Virginia, New Hampshire, Kansas, Texas and Arkansas have all proposed various drug testing bills. The Associated Press reports that the Minnesota House was

immersed in a long winding debate on how to finance the states upcoming health and human services budget. Of all the 87-amendments that are on the table drug testing for welfare is one of them many people are hoping passes. Doing the drug testing is not meant to hurt anyone; it’s just eliminating those people who are using their welfare money in the wrong purposes. Drug testing these people on welfare can be thought of as “win-win” situation because it can help those who are dependent on drugs get out of it.
The purpose in welfare money is to help people better themselves and get their life back. Simple way to look at it, if you don’t want to be drug tested then don’t take and or apply for welfare.
Many people don’t like the idea of people being drug tested. As Alan Greenbelt states in his article “Should Welfare Recipients Get Drug Testing” Kelly, who has served in the Kansas state House since 2005 says “I get a lot of constituents who mention their frustrations with neighbors they know are receiving some sort of public assistance," she says. "They don't feel the money's being used right when they know that drugs are being used in the house, and I would concur with that.” Why not just test everyone then. It wouldn’t be that hard to do, start with making it a requirement to get a driver’s license you have to take a drug test and every time you renew it you have to take another. The taxpayers that are paying for the welfare benefits deserve to know that the people receiving the benefits are not using their own limited funds or the public funds being provided to them for drugs. It’s harsh to say but simple as if you want to do illegal drugs, then don’t ask your community for financial support. If you want help to get off drugs that’s a
whole

different story versus people abusing the welfare benefits by using that money for drugs. Welfare is not a right it’s a privilege to have.
In the workforce most areas not, you need to pass a drug test. If you can’t pass, you don’t get the job. If you might lose your welfare benefits because you failed the test you may think twice and reach for help. If they can drug test people in the military, police officers, teachers and other people involved in public safety, why not have the people we put into office be drug tested also so we are all reassured they are not under the influence when voting for importing things for our government. Just because some people are in a position of power does not mean they should be automatically trusted. A good purpose of drug testing people on welfare is not to hurt them or make them suffer it’s mainly to help them get their life back together. In today’s economy the welfare system can be easily abused, but there are also plenty of people that receive benefits and don’t abuse it. The people that don’t support random drug testing have probably seen the poverty some people have to live through but never have experienced what it was like. The saying you don’t know someone until you have walked in their shoes.
Government assistance is good for those people who don’t abuse it and are willing to follow the rules no matter how silly or degrading they may seem. Random drug testing is not meant to hurt people or make them feel degraded it’s only to eliminate those who abuse the

assistance and help others who really need the help. I support random drug testing and believe there is nothing wrong with the government wanting to do so. People who receive welfare benefits should not only be drug tested but if they cannot get a job then they should be required to help with some community service to show their appreciation. If you can’t find a job or keep a job you should only be allowed to receive benefits for a limited length of time. If a person is receiving benefits they should be clean of drugs, and that person should be willing to do service work. I’m not talking about the elderly or ill who are physically not capable of getting a job, I’m talking about those people who sit at home all day and are perfectly capable of getting a job if they wanted to better themselves. It will only better the community and solve many problems the government has by random drug testing people who are taking advantage of the system.