Drug testing for Welfare checks

[fishman10]

Do you think they should drug test anyone trying to get welfare?

[Rukentuts]

This topic comes up once in awhile, but here are the facts:

Florida implemented such a system, and they found that even though it keeps some druggies off of the government dole, it still cost the state $44,000+ in net costs. So would you rather spend more money than you save to have peace of mind that you got some of the "waste" off?

[Deleted]

I wouldn't oppose it at least. If you can't afford food, then you shouldn't afford drugs either. But then comes in the fact that you can harvest a few from nature with no cost, i.e. cannabis and opium.

[Spectral]

Rukentuts already gives the most crucial information, but even aside from that, I don't really see the point. I'm not big on anti-drug hysteria though.

[Deleted]

The thing you have to realise: welfare "leeches" are very rare. Worth neither the time nor the money for something so meaningless.

[bayushisan]

No. Because it would be a violation of a person's Fourth Amendment rights. The courts have already ruled on this notion.

[Deleted]

This topic comes up once in awhile, but here are the facts:

Florida implemented such a system, and they don't that even though it keeps some druggies off of the government dole, it still cost the state $44,000+ in net costs. So would you rather spend more money than you save to have peace of mind that you got some of the "waste" off?

Ahh, good point.

[Korgoth]

If they can afford to spend the welfare money on drugs then I think they are scamming welfare and I'd rather the State spend money for law enforcement to catch welfare scams, then making everyone piss in a cup.

[Deleted]

If they can afford to spend the welfare money on drugs then I think they are scamming welfare and I'd rather the State spend money for law enforcement to catch welfare scams, then making everyone piss in a cup.

That's one of the problems with the US, people would rather pay more to have a 'clean' conscience or to have the illusion of a choice.

[SirPiken]

This topic comes up once in awhile, but here are the facts:

Florida implemented such a system, and they found that even though it keeps some druggies off of the government dole, it still cost the state $44,000+ in net costs. So would you rather spend more money than you save to have peace of mind that you got some of the "waste" off?

What exactly does this number mean? 44k per person tested per year? That can't possibly be correct. If this is the case couldn't you reduce the cost drastically if you changed the tests to random? Just the threat of someone being potentially picked for a drug test that week would be enough for me.

[Rukentuts]

What exactly does this number mean? 44k per person tested per year? That can't possibly be correct. If this is the case couldn't you reduce the cost drastically if you changed the tests to random? Just the threat of someone being potentially picked for a drug test that week would be enough for me.

As an aggregate (savings versus cost to test everyone) it cost the state 44k more a year.

[Templar 331]

I think they should, but the cost would out weigh the benefits. Unless the government comes out with some cheep way to test for illegal drugs.

[sharpy]

This topic comes up once in awhile, but here are the facts:

Florida implemented such a system, and they found that even though it keeps some druggies off of the government dole, it still cost the state $44,000+ in net costs. So would you rather spend more money than you save to have peace of mind that you got some of the "waste" off?

Ok logically it would cost more so i would say no for now maybe once and a long while to to test the numbers?

[Catta]

Hopefully the welfare keeps druggies from stealing and keeps them out of jail.

[Paloro]

If the overall cost savings is -44k a year, I would definitely be a fan of doing this. There are far more programs that can be cut to fund this effort then to have addicts scamming the government to feed their habit.

[Roose]

Another one of these threads....

Nope. Drug testing in general is fucking stupid and only done to line pockets of the testing companies. It has been established how stupid this proposal is man times over.

---------- Post added 2013-03-25 at 06:55 PM ----------

If the overall cost savings is -44k a year, I would definitely be a fan of doing this. There are far more programs that can be cut to fund this effort then to have addicts scamming the government to feed their habit.

Ya, I prefer they steal from me instead because they obviously will stop using drugs....

[KeirAdish]

That's one of the problems with the US, people would rather pay more to have a 'clean' conscience or to have the illusion of a choice.

Honestly?
Yes.
I would 100% truthfully rather spend 44k more a year making sure druggies work for their drugs instead of having the government pay for it.
Then again, where I work is in an area where you can spit and hit 5 welfare leeches that are on some form of drug with a BMW 5 kids in rags and an Iphone 5 whining they don't have enough money and the government needs to raise their welfare check to a larger amount.

Besides, look at it like this, what is 44k compared to what we as a nation spend on just 1 Apache, or most any other military vehicle.

We could make one less Apache, or Blackhawk, etc a year and fund the drug tests for the entire nations welfare recipients and then the money is at least going towards something that (in a way) betters our nation.

[Austilias]

My preferred option would be to award welfare via vouchers that can only be exchanged for what Welfare should be spent on; food, clothing, and other such necessities, as opposed to sating peoples' drug habits and other such luxuries.

[Deadvolcanoes]

I'd much rather drug test our politicians before drug testing our welfare recipients.

[SirPiken]

As an aggregate (savings versus cost to test everyone) it cost the state 44k more a year.

That's kind of a small number for a state wide program, not saying it's incorrect it just seems odd that it would be so close. I don't like the fact that some welfare recipients are spending money on drugs or alcohol really, but if the numbers of people receiving welfare checks and using is that low it seems kinda pointless.

However, I think the number of people getting some form of gov assistance (SNAP cards/ebt, ect) and also using illegal drugs is much higher. I have seen firsthand too many times people in line who obviously smell like pot and using "food stamps". Anecdotal sure, but I've seen it more times then I care too.

I'm not a hardcore anti drug person by any means but i dislike knowing I'm paying for services people are saying they need to survive when they obviously have money to spend on very expensive very non essential items. This is no different then other abuses such as people buying big screen TV's and other unneeded crap instead of buying their own food.

My mother is a public school teacher and often sees kids on free lunch talking about how the have the latest and greatest of this or that.