Running head: DRUG TESTING FOR WELFARE RECIPIENTS 1
Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients
Debates on whether or not to subject welfare recipients began to take shape in 1996 after the Federal Welfare Reform Act was adopted. The act in itself did not make it mandatory for welfare recipients to undergo drug tests but other block grants such as the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families allowed drug testing after the passing of the law ( Hammond, 2017 ). Even though the issue of welfare drug testing has been characterized by confusion on whether or not it goes against the constitutional rights of the recipients, more and more states are slowly taking up the practice. The debate on whether or not to subject welfare recipients to drug tests has yielded divided opinions between those who support it and those who are in opposition. This paper seeks to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of welfare drug testing.
Advantages of Welfare Drug Testing
One of the advantages of drug testing on welfare recipients is that it reduces the strain on state aid programs as well as saving taxes. The state of Florida had a deficit of $3.6 billion in their budget before Governor Rick Scott introduced drug testing on welfare recipients in 2008 ( Wurman , 2013). After the introduction of welfare drug testing, the state was able to save $198, 400 ( Wurman , 2013). Even though it is a small amount, the savings have proved that drug testing on welfare recipients has a potential of saving taxpayer’s money.
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Proponents of welfare drug testing further argue that such a policy would discourage most welfare recipients from engaging in drug and substance abuse thus reducing the overall number of people using drugs in the United States ( Wurman, 2013 ). Even though the link between welfare drug testing and the lowering rates of drug use has not been scientifically proven, the supporters of the policy believe that it positively contributes to the war against drugs in the country.
Disadvantages of Welfare Drug Testing
Despite the advantages that come with welfare drug tests, various disadvantages are associated with the policy. According to Wurman (2013), one of the most common arguments used by the opponents of the policy is the fact that it is unconstitutional and it goes against The Fourth Amendment which limits the types of searches that a person can be subjected to by the state. Additionally, opponents to the policy argue that the high cost of facilitating drug tests will exceed the savings that are likely to be made by the programs. According to a study commissioned by the Idaho state government, the costs of carrying out welfare drug tests would exceed the savings. Welfare drug testing is also ineffective as most of the states that have adopted the policy have seen no positive change in drug use.
Conclusion
In summation, before deciding on whether to adopt welfare drug testing or not, it is important to analyze some of the advantages and disadvantages of the policy. One of the advantages of the policy is that it reduces strain on state aid programs and saves taxes. The policy also discourages most welfare recipients from engaging in drug and substance abuse thus reducing the overall number of people using drugs in the United States. Some of the disadvantages that come with the adoption of the policy include its unconstitutional nature and the fact that it goes against the Fourth Amendment, the high cost of implementation, and its ineffectiveness in combating drug and substance abuse.
References
Hammond, A. (2017). Welfare and federalism's peril. Washington Law Review, 92 (4), 1721- 1770.
Wurman, I. (2013). Drug testing welfare recipients as a constitutional condition. Stanford Law Review, 65 (5), 1153-1193.
