Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Essay - 2111 Words

The history of social welfare can be traced back to ancient times, but the time most influential to the start of social welfare programs in the United States occurred during the great depression. In 1935, then President Theodore Roosevelt introduced the Social Security Act. This act guaranteed pensions, unemployment insurance, and help for children and the disabled. The Works Progress Administration was also put in to place and helped unemployed people find jobs (HISTORY.COM-New Deal). A proposition to mandate drug testing for recipients has been brought up in more recent times, namely by Governor Rick Scott (R) of Florida. This move has raised the question as to whether or not it is ethical to deny American citizens their right to†¦show more content†¦Welfare recipients would be required to purchase their own drug test, and only if the results came back negative would they be reimbursed. In the case of a failed drug test, first time offenders would not be eligible for welfare benefits for a full year or until they received treatment. If a welfare recipient failed more than one test, they would not be eligible for benefits for three years under this new Florida law (Shahid 2011). This bill was immediately met with opposition. Howard Simon, the Executive director of the ACLU in Florida stated, The wasteful program created by this law subjects Floridians who are impacted by the economic downturn, as well as their families, to a humiliating search of their urine and body fluids without cause or even suspicion of drug abuse†¦Searching the bodily fluids of those in need of assistance is a scientifically, fiscally and constitutionally unsound policy. Today, that unsound policy is Florida law. The Florida Department of Children and Families, as well as Florida legislature defended such a measure by saying that money would be saved in the process, and that the testing would keep money from being used for the wrong purpose. DCF spokesman Joe Fol lick said, The taxpayers deserve to know that the money they are spending is being used for its intended purpose. In this case, with [temporary cash assistance], the purpose is to help familiesShow MoreRelatedDrug Testing Welfare Recipients1395 Words   |  6 PagesIn 2010, 17.5% of unemployed adults collecting some sort of welfare failed drug tests. In 2011, 23.8% of welfare recipients admitted to using illegal drugs, including marijuana. The problem the United States if facing is that welfare recipients are using the cash they are given to purchase illegal drugs. Many of these people purchasing illegal drugs had prior illegal drug abuse problems and some of these people believe that since they are given this â€Å"free† money, they can continue on with these addictionsRead MoreDrug Testing For Welfare Recipients1347 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Since the reformation of welfare in 1996, nearly all states have attempted to pass legislation to require the use of drug testing among welfare recipients. Thirteen states have passed legislation and there are currently seven states testing applicants for drugs. The results have been somewhat anticlimactic, as the number of positive drug test results is lower than the national average. There are many concerns surrounding the issue of drug testing welfare recipients, including the cost, constitutionalityRead MoreDrug Testing Welfare Recipients913 Words   |  4 PagesIf the drug testing is implemented, of course, there will always be those who feel violated, but what about the taxpayer’s rights? Do they have that right to know how their money is being spent? The problem with this development is there are so many ways to cheat and test clean. In theory that is true, but in reality not so sure because there are different types of testing. The main one is urinating in a cup and we all know that can be tampered with, but what about the hair strand, how is that possibleRead MoreThe Drug Of Drug Testing Welfare Recipients912 Words   |  4 PagesDrug Testing Welfare Recipients To test or not to test has been has been the question at hand for many states that are dealing with whether or not to pass the law that welfare recipients should or should not be drug tested in order to receive assistance from the government. Florida was the first state to mandate the law in 2011 and thereafter twenty four other states in the last year have also passed this law in our own state of Oklahoma being one of them. Although alcohol is legal it is abused farRead MoreDrug Testing Welfare Recipients Essay1114 Words   |  5 Pagesin order to obtain a job, some people go through drug testing while drug and alcohol abusers receive free, no strings attached, financial assistance (see appendix A)? Food stamps and Medicaid are provided to low and no income Americans who would otherw ise do without. According to heritage.org, a majority of the illegal drug use in American adults is tied to unemployed citizens. While there are many people who disagree with testing welfare recipients, the truth is that the pros greatly outweigh theRead MoreShould Drug Testing Welfare Recipients? Essay1707 Words   |  7 Pagesuse of drugs is an immense problem in today’s society. The big question is, is it a problem within the welfare system? Drug use isn’t just a problem of poverty; it’s found among all groups and classes. As said in Jamelle Bouies article, The Myth of Drug Use and Welfare, â€Å"The myth of welfare recipients spending their benefits on drugs is just that—a myth. And indeed, in Utah, only 12 people out of 466—or 2.5 percent—showed evidence of drug use after a mandatory screening.† Drug testing welfare recipientsRead MoreMandatory Drug Testing For Welfare Recipients1526 Words   |  7 PagesBreez Arann Ms. Holiday English 12 11/04/15 Mandatory Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients When the United States’ welfare program was created during the Great Depression, it was meant to temporarily relieve the burdens of the one-fourth of American families who were unemployed, and struggling financially. President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Social Security Act in 1935, then amended it in 1939 to create programs to assist families with unemployment compensation, and to create government agenciesRead MoreMandatory Drug Testing For Welfare Recipients1613 Words   |  7 Pagestime-welfare reform. New screening processes, often considered a direct violation of constitutional rights, have already been enacted in many states. Strong evidence exists, asserting that the practice of administering drug testing to welfare recipients will cost the U.S. taxpayers more money in the long run, stigmatize applicants and participants, and serve only the purpose of making the pharmaceutical companies more powerful. In order to protect the constitutional rights of potential we lfare recipientsRead MoreShould Drug Testing Welfare Recipients?1679 Words   |  7 Pageswho test positive for drugs should be able to receive welfare. It was an argument that flooded social media, arguments filling comments with opinions. It is a subject that continues to be discussed within our peer groups, our communities, and our states. This paper will discuss the opinions of individual’s within the country, the beneficial factors of drug testing welfare recipients as well as the unbeneficial factors, as well as who decides if drug testing welfare recipients goes into effect or notRead MoreBenefits of Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Essay1330 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Random drug screening involves the experimental analysis that utilizes specimens such as saliva, hair, blood or urine in order to determine the presence of certain drugs or their metabolites. These tests are usually done to ascertain the presence or absence of prohibited drugs or steroids. On the other hand, the state welfare assistance/ government assistance is a government funded program that was started in 1930 during which period US citizens and the rest of the world were facing