Do you believe in drug testing welfare recipients?

1. 61

   emilyzeinertposted 9 years ago

   Do you believe in drug testing welfare recipients?

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2. 58

   Aliski2014posted 9 years ago

   Absolutely! A lot of people are broke bc of drugs. I've known several people in my life that was on welfare and was either slanging or doing drugs. . .pathetic.

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   1. 58

      Aliski2014posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      It is my oopinion because of the statistics being higher they should under go random drug testing and if ever test positive they should be denied benefits and refered to a rehab, aa/na and or drug/alcohol counseling program b4 getting back welfare.

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   2. 89

      Kylyssaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Actually, in the states where they did drug test welfare recipients, they discovered welfare recipients use drugs less than Americans in general do. Drug testing companies want you to believe otherwise because they'd like to get some welfare money.

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3. 89

   Kylyssaposted 9 years ago

   Since it was a financial waste in the places it was tried, I think it's a waste of money.  All they did was show that people on Welfare use drugs a bit less than the general population.

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4. 84

   Austinstarposted 9 years ago

   If everyone (including the politicians and law makers) is tested for drugs, then yes. But singling out a specific group of people to drug test is punitive and wasteful.
   Besides the fact that people would have to be tested every day to make it accurate, it's really all a waste of time.

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5. 78

   junksellerposted 9 years ago

   Where this has been tried it has cost more than it has saved and it has been found that people's delusions about the terrible lazy people on welfare are in fact just delusions. They don't use drugs at rates higher than the one's complaining about it.
   
   Even if drug use where a problem, such policies are not a solution. The only way they would make sense as a solution is if the testing was meant to find those with addiction issues and then help them. Of course, this isn't ever the intent of such policies. Rather they are intended to punish users and take away their aid. But doing so is not some grand magic trick. People who already have problems aren't going to magically correct all of the issues in their lives. More than likely their difficulties will simply compound which might mean they turn to crime, end up in some other assistance program and/or burden friends and family, all things which overall cost us the same or more money and resources than the welfare cost in the first place.

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6. 0

   RTalloniposted 9 years ago

   Yes.  In theory, this is the right thing to do.  Doing it the right way is next to impossible.  The bottom line is that we can't stop people from destroying themselves or abusing their families by doing drugs, but enabling them to do so is sad business.  Forcing tax payers to enable them is criminal. 
   
   The federal government should get out of the welfare business and free local communities, churches, and individuals to help the needy in productive ways.  A main problem with today's system is that a large number of recipients do not want to be accountable on the local level. They would have to be forced into it.   
   
   Efforts to help people who want to improve their lives can be successful.  Rooting out corruption in the welfare system, including the welfare to work plan, so we can see more successes is an effort everyone needs to support.

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