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Essay On Welfare Drug Testing

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Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients
"I'm not downing the welfare system; I just believe that it should be reserved for emergency situations, like people losing their jobs because of the economy and the disabled." Ranee brings up a point that many Americans agree with. The modern welfare system began during the great depression and has grown ever since. Many Americans have become concerned that the welfare system is hugely abused and a majority of the money goes to drugs and alcohol, and that welfare recipients should be drug tested in order to receive benefits. While this seems like a logical idea, many argue that testing them would cost more and can be unconstitutional to the welfare user.
Drug testing should be required of welfare users. Primarily, Ranee …show more content…
One of the reasons of this opinion is that drug testing is “unconstitutional”. In 2003 Michigan’s drug testing program was declared as unconstitutional due to the fourth amendment protecting against unreasonable search and seizure. If random drug testing was actually unconstitutional, then why can people employed by the federal government be drug tested at random as a condition of employment. Continuing on, another reason that many oppose testing is because of the large costs of conducting tests. Some huge numbers come out of this, “The cost of catching a drug abuser may run between $20,000 and $70,000” (Kenefick). Although this is an extremely high number, that is only with the current means of testing that goes through many processes before getting to a simple drug test. If all welfare users were tested at random the cost would be cut significantly, “The tests themselves cost anywhere between $35-$75” (Kenefick). Even at $75 a test, it would be much more cost effective and logical then paying out hundreds of dollars per month to drug users. Drug testing welfare recipients is a logical and fair solution to many of the problems with the current

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