Arguments Against Mandatory Drug Testing

Substance abuse issues have been a part of the public assistance policy discussions for quite some time. Several states proposed drug testing or screening applicants and recipients of public welfare benefits since the federal welfare reform in 1996. With our economy being at such a low standpoint, it is getting harder for individuals to receive public assistance. To make it even harder, recently there has been at least twelve states legislators that have introduced the idea which requires drug testing for people who receive public assistance. These public assistance programs include welfare, unemployment, public housing, and Medicaid. Drug testing for people who receive government assistance has caused quite a public debate. Many people say

Many people think that by taking away welfare benefits because of failing a drug test only puts those in need to suffer more poverty. There are plenty of people that bet drug tested in order to maintain a job, but not every single person who is employed undergoes drug testing. For our government to require everyone in a lower socioeconomic class to undergo testing, it could be considered discrimination. To some people this kind of drug testing is unconstitutional, scientifically unsound, fiscally irresponsible, and one more way the “war on drugs” is an unfair war on America’s most vulnerable populations. Mandatory drug testing, whether as a condition of employment or as a requirement for the receipt of public assistance, is an unnecessary intrusion into personal

Each individual is given an equal opportunity to succeed, so there should be no reason that people should have to support others financially through extreme tax prices. When society isn’t so reliant on our government taxes will lower. America should be working towards creating a society that is not completely reliant on our government, by drug testing people who receive government assistance could possibly reduce the amount of people that receive welfare if the recipient does not pass the screening. People who believe that everyone who is receiving assistance should be drug tested may be viewed as selfish people. Although, once our economy is stabilized it will slowly start to decrease the national debt, and start to make people realize that everyone should be able to succeed in life, no matter what the circumstances that are presented to