Welfare Drug Testing Essay Example for Free

Welfare Drug Testing Essay Welfare was originally designed to help out poor families in need. Throughout the years, there have been issues with people taking advantage of the system. The government has made efforts to try to help welfare recipients to get a job instead of seeing welfare as a lifestyle. The next step government should take is to drug test welfare recipients. If a person has enough money to get his or her drugs; he or she should have enough money to support their family. It is unfair for us tax payers to support other people’s family and addiction. It is clear that drug testing welfare recipients would benefit not only the system, but also recipients themselves, and tax payers. One of the first benefits the system would get by drug testing welfare recipients is decrease the number of people who take advantage of it. I personally know people who get all the government help they can without having a real need. I had a coworker whose husband would sell their food stamps in order to get his marijuana and other drugs. My coworker had 5 kids and would get about $800 worth of food stamps, plus WIC, plus section 8, and plus cash aid. She made sure she only worked enough hours not to go over the low-income limit requirements. Of course hours where available for her, but why would she get tired and work more when she can get more money by not doing much? And just like her, there are many people who do this. I think if a person is healthy he or she should have no problems getting a job. Talking about jobs, don’t we all must take a drug test in order to get hired? Why should getting welfare be different? Unconstitutional? Unconstitutional is using taxpayers’ monies to support other individual’s addictions. Individuals, who oppose drug testing welfare recipients, are either recipients who are afraid to be deny due to drug use, or confused tax payers. Confused tax payers might think that by drug testing all welfare recipients the government would have to invest more of our tax money on this programs. What tax payers should know that in the long run, this is very beneficial and needed for us. Recipients who are abusing drugs would think twice before applying for welfare. The number of recipients abusing the system will dramatically decrease. It could even be beneficial for the recipient who abuses drug, since if he or she really has the need they would seek help to stay clean. Usually when an addict recovers, he or she sees life as new beginning and his or her enthusiastic will more likely encourage being someone in life. According to US Department of Health and Human Services, U. S. Department of Commerce, and CATO Institute: â€Å"The government spends on welfare annually (not including food stamps or unemployment) $131. 9 billion dollars. There is 40 states where welfare pays more than an $8. 00 per hour job and even 7 states where pays more than $12 per hour. Hawaii’s welfare hourly rate is equivalent to $17. 50 per hour and our neighbor state California $11. 59 per hour. † I personally think is not fair at all that hard working individuals like me, have to struggle to pay bills, rent, groceries, health care etc. o support our family; when others are living so comfortable and buying drugs with our taxes. Research shows that 20 percent of TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) recipients admitted to using an illicit drug sometime in the last year. In addition, substance use is associated with increased duration (and cycling) of TANF receipt. With approximately $33 billion spent on TANF payments each year, it is alarming if over $6 billion is supporting drug users (Substance Abuse Policy Research Program, 2007). In conclusion, if the working class has to be drug tested to make their money, those receiving assistance should be drug tested to receive their check. The government would get numerous benefits if they start drug testing welfare recipients. Clearly, drug testing welfare recipients would benefit not only the system, but also recipients themselves, and tax payers. As of April 17, 2013, at least 29 states have proposed legislation requiring some form of drug testing or screening for public assistance recipients in 2013 (National Conference and State Legislatures, 2013).