Against Mandatory Drug Testing

The main reason why I chose to include this as a piece of evidence, was to show that there are steps in the system that are flawed. As the title of the article suggested, $2 roadside drug tests are performed on suspected drugs found inside the car. Many of these tests produce false positives, and yet prosecutors across the country still continue to use them. The kits cost around $2 each, and have changed little since 1973. The story also provided an example of a women name Amy Albritton that was a victim of this drug test, as an officer claimed that he had seen a crumb of crack-cocaine. The officer pulled out the drug test, and because of how cold it was that night, the cold weather slowed the colver development, throwing off a red flag in the officer 's eyes. Albritton was cuffed, and arrested for possession of crack cocaine, charges that were later dropped. Hopefully I will be able to integrate this into my essay, as it provides a prime example of how something so miniscule, can deeply affect someone 's life.

Next, drug testing recipients is not a good use for taxpayer money. Florida started enforcing drug tests so taxpayers would know their money was not being wasted. and of the 800 people tested, only one person tested positive (Cunha). If they tested 800 people and only one tested positive-that is a waste of money. Drug testing individuals costs more than it saves (Cunha). Florida paid to drug test 800 people and they only saved money by declining one person so it was a huge waste. Estimated cost of drug testing varies by state and proposed law. The estimated cost for the 12 states that have drug tested is $92,487 (US Health and Human Services 7). These 12 states have spent a total of $92,487 dollars and for what? So they can find out that a couple people have substance abuse. Money is also added for states to hire people to administer the tests (Health and Human Services 7). So that means states already have to pay for the tests themselves and then add more taxpayer money on top of that to hire people to give the tests. Florida and Alabama have proposed that the recipient should have to pay for the test instead (US Health and Human Services). But how is it fair that they should have to pay for the test if there is no reason for them to be tested. In the end the cost of drug testing and testing all approved applicants was between 1.2 and 1.3 million dollars (US Health and Human Services). Drug testing individuals is not worth the money in the end because most people will not test positive. Most people tend to forget that most people receiving aid also are taxpayers. In 2010, nearly half the poor mother or near poor mothers were at least working part time (Cunha). If the people receiving aid are paying for the drug tests to they would probably rather keep that money then have it be wasted. Drug testing recipients is a waste of money since the government would be wasting more money on giving the tests then they would be

If you don't know what the 4th Amendment is, it guards against unreasonable searches and seizures. If students are tested for drugs they may get discouraged about life and want to commit suicide, or they might not try as hard in their school work.

Welfare is the financial help for families in need of finances. Welfare includes programs such as unemployment, social security, health care, and more. Welfare was not created for a permanent solution to families in need of financial help. Welfare was created to help needy families get back on their feet though hard times.

When questions of ethics and morality are brought up for discussion they can be immensely difficult to mediate. What is perceived as ethically “right” to one person may be considered “wrong” to another. It is part of human nature to evaluate issues from a subjective standpoint, as opinions and prioritization of values vary on an individual level. This difference of personal beliefs, therefore, often leads to the existence of biased arguments. Due to this, it is essential for any argument to follow a set of ethical criteria in order to be considered valid and effective. An editorial published in The Columbus Dispatch serves as an adequate example to demonstrate the necessity of these principles.

However, as people always do, some manage to find their way around this problem and sell their debit cards for 50 cents on the dollar for cash (Roskin et al, 273). So how much of our taxes do these food stamp “traffickers” (USDA) rob us of? In 2012, approximately $80 billion was poured into the SNAP (Burke) and according to the USDA, a little over one percent of food stamp funds is misused. This sounds insignificant but that comes out to 800 million of taxpayer dollars. Hardly a trifle amount. Thankfully, the government is cracking down on such behavior. For a “trafficker” to get another debit card after selling theirs, they have to fill out a lost card form. After so many of those, an investigation takes place to determine whether or not there is illegal behavior involved. Overall, food stamps aren 't abused to the point that they should be remanded or revoked from “48 million” (Roskin et al, 273) plus Americans who are currently granted SNAP aid. Surprisingly enough, a much greater leader in welfare abuse than food stamps is actually Medicaid. A mogul in both the welfare and healthcare systems, Medicaid has a large margin of financial abuse from both sides of the spectrum; healthcare providers and patients alike, both misuse and abuse Medicaid. “Fraud and abuse in Medicaid cost states billions of dollars every year,

Almost everyone around the world has seen or heard of poverty. Whether it is that middle-aged man on the side of the road begging for money or those commercials asking for donations while showing pictures of starving children. Over the years, these images of poverty have created a stigma that goes along with the poor; they are drug-abusing, uneducated, lazy people. Americans in poverty, specifically those receiving welfare, have been criticized with this stigma for many years. Because of this, many states across the country have been pushing to implement laws that require welfare recipients to be drug-tested prior to receiving their money. Welfare recipients should not be required to complete a drug test if other people receiving government

Because Florida has had drug testing implemented the longest, their results are better documented and more available for public usage. Welfare and drug testing have been around since the 1900’s, and over time the government took two vastly different programs and combined them to create a greater good for the nation. Although the 4th Amendment was largely at question for numerous years, the Supreme Court ruled in favor with the states at the concept that the program is fair and reasonable. Cost efficiency has been proven and many states who enforce these laws have had beneficial, money saving, results. As I mentioned in previous paragraphs, no nationwide tactic is used to pay for the individual tests, but states have evidentially chosen their own course. For example, Florida does not punish those who return positive tests; however, they require those who fail to not only lose benefits, but they are not reimbursed for the test they paid for. While only a select few states have implemented drug testing for their welfare recipients, the program is evidentially catching on throughout the nation. Over the past 20 years, 15 states have introduced these tests and as results as publicized, it is only a matter of time before others join in on this money saving tactic. As Oklahoma 's Rep. John Bennet said, "It is now undeniable that drug-testing

The welfare system is a system to help the less fortunate people of the community.The poverty line depends on the size of the family when you are a single adult the poverty line is about $11,000 a year If you have 8

To continue receiving benefits, should welfare recipients be drug tested? This is the controversial question that continues to go around the world. Many people believe that drug testing welfare recipients is unnecessary. People believe that drug testing recipients would waste taxpayer’s money, stop people from asking for government help, and go against people’s constitutional rights.

Ronald Reagan states, “We should measure welfare’s success by how many people leave welfare, not by how many are added” (qtd. in BrainyQuotes). Welfare’s success today is not being measured by how many people are leaving welfare, but how many are needing assistance. The problem is that recipients of welfare are being added by the minute, and none of them are willing to leave the program because of the benefits it provides. The United States Constitution states the federal government should provide for the common defense and promote the general welfare, but the case is that many recipients are abusing the program (Couch np). Welfare abuse is increasing greatly. Many Americans are abusing it by misusing the money, providing

In reality, drug testing would cost even more than us as taxpayers put in for TANF programs, and things of the like. It would only add to the amount we pay. The government wants to keep everyone happy, but they don’t want to raise taxes, and the people don’t want that either. It is still back and forth and not set in stone as to if they should implement drug testing. For now, things will stay as they are and politicians will argue as they always

In my opinion participants of any welfare program should be drug tested no matter the circumstance, but where will they get the money to fund the drug tests. The money will be taken out of the tax payers, which means taxes will eventually go up overtime. Drug testing the participants will decrease the amount of people getting welfare. I have seen people that will receive the help but they are on drugs, or abusing the

When times get rough it meant work harder, but now thats in the past. Today when life gets tough it means go Welfare. Welfare is a widely abused program, for example, nationwide there are millions of Americans that receive welfare from the government. (“Welfare Drug Testing”). It is very important that our taxes aren’t going to people who repeatedly and purposefully choose to abuse the welfare program. This becomes indeed critical that those who choose to receive welfare must pass certain standards. These standard being as simple as a standard drug test. Some people wonder still, what is welfare? Welfare, by definition, is financial support given to people in need. The financial support is brought to these people through the taxpayers money.

We have all heard the stories on the news, seen them on our televisions, and possibly even known someone who has had to go through the process of Foster care. Sometimes this is a great thing for the child, but sometimes we unfortunately have to hear the tragic stories of children who inevitably fall through the cracks of the system. Sadly, the children who fall through often have the potential to be so much more than what their circumstances allow. The person they would develop into is stifled by where they came from. Foster care was designed to take children from a harmful environment and place them into one that will help them flourish for the time they are placed in a particular home. Foster care is supposed to be a safe haven for the children