Drug Testing Welfare Recipients Policy
Paper details:
this is a policy evaluation argument essay. i want to argue for drug testing welfare recipients.
Drug Testing Welfare Recipients Policy
Lately the ongoing debate is whether recipients of welfare assistance should be drug tested or not and whether state or local government drug testing of welfare recipients is legal. The reason behind welfare is to help the recipients address some of their basic needs. Narcotic drugs cannot be considered a basic human need. Welfare recipients on drugs are most likely going to use all their benefits on drugs instead of their basic needs. Randomly drug testing welfare recipients would help decrease the number of recipients taking advantage of the system since a policy like that t would insist on recipients to stay drug free and expose the abusers wasting the tax payer’s money. If an employer requires you to be drug tested tin order to be hired, and then why not require that for those wanting to receive assistance?
Welfare recipients should not be made to believe it’s a one-way handout and should be given assistance on the basis of a return obligation which is an expectation of responsible use of the assistance.
Welfare assistant cost is currently moving towards over a trillion a year and all taxpaying citizens have a right to demand that their money is being given to recipients who really need it and not spent on irresponsible needs like drugs. Current evidence supports the idea that drug testing can reduce irresponsible spending and misuse of money. An example is Florida’s policy of required drug testing for welfare applicants which seems to have reduced the number of new welfare enrollments by about 48 percent. This means likely applicants who use illegal drugs have chosen not to enter system.
Opponents of drug testing recipients are of the view that refusing welfare assistance to illegal drug users has an adverse effect on families and money those recipients would be taken away from them. This argument means tax payers should turn a blind eye on those abusing the system and in effect condone their illegal behavior while missing out on an opportunity to help these drug abusers work on turning their lives around and eventually get them off assistance.
Thus, any one getting any kind of benefit from the system should submit to a drug test because not only would it help the recipient hooked on drugs, it also has a potential of saving the tax payer millions of dollars and eliminating fraud and abuse from the system.
In conclusion, no taxpayer would want to see their hard earned money given out to anyone on welfare to use on drugs. Taxpayers have the right to be informed that their hard earned money is being use for a good cause and not to fund illegal drug habits of welfare recipients. This policy needs to be in enacted and enforced in all states, because law-abiding citizens are protected and illegal drug users are penalized.
REFERENCE
Hearin, J. (2013). Drug test seen as welfare rule. Substance abuse would sever aid. pros-cons-drug testing welfare recipients. (2014). medical articles and infrographics. Rector, R. (2011, December 15). Welfare Programs Should Promote Self-Sufficiency. Retrieved February 23, 2014, from us news.