New Law on Drug Screening

In May 2011 the House of Representatives signed off on the Senate’s version of the bill that will require welfare recipients to undergo random drug screening. The House had said that if someone didn’t pass, she or he would not be able to get benefits from TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) for one year. The Senate version changed it to say three years, and the House signed off on it in May.

On July 12, 2011 Governor Jay Nixon endorsed the bill, which will now become a law.

There has been a lot of debate over the topic. Does this violate a person’s rights?
On the other hand, if drug screening has become fairly common among employees, why shouldn’t those on welfare have to be screened as well? But what if a person is down and out and messes up and fails the drug test and loses benefits – what will he or she do then? Well, on the other hand, what if an employee messes up and fails a drug test and loses his or her job – what will he or she do then?

It’s a difficult and complicated matter, and one that has been discussed all over the country this past year, with the same opposing arguments flying back and forth. But in most states, in most situations, state governments are opting to begin the drug testing.

Critics point out that what is needed for these people is treatment. Apparently the whole drug testing program is going to cost the state about a million dollars – opponents think that would have provided an awful lot of treatment for an awful lot of people instead of just testing centers and lab techs, which unfortunately does nothing to stop the problem.

The idea is supposed to be that people will fear the repercussions and therefore will make sure that they do not use drugs while they are receiving welfare. Opponents are not so sure that this takes a realistic view of addiction and how it enslaves the ones that are addicted.

One can only hope that treatment options will be made available too.