Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Essay: Welfare aid is an important part of public assistance in society, especially to the poor families who need financial support. But considering the proper utilization of funds and financial aids, it is critical to ensure responsibility and accountability both by the recipient and as well as the provider of welfare. In this respect, beneficiaries of government aid should be subjected to background checks and especially testing for drug abuse since this move could save the government money by taking drug addicts away from welfare programs. Some may argue that every citizen is entitled to his/her rights and freedoms, but such rights and freedoms cannot be exercised unduly taking advantage of non-screening practices.
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Long Essay on Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients
Drug Testing Objectives
Drug testing will ensure that recipients of welfare aids will not misuse the assistance they’re given by the government as financial support. Taking a drug test is advantageous because it could help to properly channelize the money and it would help social workers identify people and families who are affected by drug abuse. It would also restrict people from purchasing and using illegal drugs with financial aids. The government and social welfare organizations make every effort to make sure that money is given to right hands, but possibly ending up in the wrong places or spent on families in treating drug habits.
Any financial assistance given to a recipient who wastes it in drug habit is a loss to another family that would have spent it on needed items. Some governments are implementing stricter welfare eligibility criteria to deal with limited state budgets on welfare schemes. Drug testing for welfare recipients would better inform the government who are misusing the system. It is not only dangerous for their well being, but it also harms the economy.
Impact of Drug Testing
The idea of testing for drugs is also appropriate in the sense that possession, use, and distribution of drugs are illegal. Screening welfare applicants for drug habits would ensure that the affected persons are provided with necessary help they need, rather than placing them on welfare aid with their drug problems and pushing them towards an uncertain future. Drug abuses along with high poverty levels constitute a critical social problem. In that regard, welfare funds should go to the most appropriate programs. Some countries have proposed legislations for mandatory drug testing for welfare recipients to continue to receive benefits and if found positive for drug use the recipient will become ineligible for a year.
Opinion and Acceptance from Society
This movement has been a very controversial topic as some argue whether it is justified to force someone to a drug test when they are simply asking for public assistance in times of need. However, drug testing for welfare recipients would help to eliminate the people who are taking advantage of the system to support their bad habits and identify the people actually in need for financial support. There are various arguments in favor of drug testing for welfare recipients. Substance abuse is a problem that affects not just individuals but the entire society. So the drug testing helps to identify individuals who can benefit from the required treatment so they can recover and can properly utilize and save money in the long-term.
Short Essay on Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients
There are various issues associated with the welfare program but the one that becomes the point of discussion is that many people misuse the money by wasting on drugs instead of essentials. To deal with this problem, many state welfare schemes have come up with drug testing as a requirement for getting the assistance. This will help to eliminate the abuse of the assistance program and also it will cut down the cost.
The Flip Side
But should it be mandatory for welfare recipients to be tested for drug use? There is a lot of concern about whether it would save the government money or cost more by conducting the drug tests to eliminate certain people from welfare schemes. While many believe it is justified, others feel that drug testing is wrong because it is discrimination toward the poor people. Some of the negative aspects of drug tests are their high cost.
Opponents of mandatory drug testing argue that the savings obtained by drug testing are much less as compared to the cost of testing itself. This drug testing has been even taken out of some states’ welfare systems considering its cost implications and social impact. Opponents often argue that reinforcing drug testing for welfare recipients establishes the belief that welfare beneficiaries are mostly addicts and drug users. But this is far from reality as the data published by states that conduct drug testing reveals a very low percentage of drug users. There are other aspects as well. Most of the aid recipients are children and when financial assistance is denied to families with positive drug tests, these children bear the negative consequences.
The Conclusion
Discussions are going on about alternative drug testing methodologies that can serve the purpose of these welfare programs. The drug testing methods for welfare recipients are not always practical and cost-effective, so there needs to be a restructuring of the system so that only individuals who are suspected of drug abuse will be tested or testing be based on the history of prospective recipients.
FAQ’s on Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Essay
Question 1.
What is the primary objective of drug testing for welfare recipients?
Answer:
The objective of drug testing for welfare recipients is to make sure that money is given to the right people and should not end up in the wrong purpose or spent on families in treating drug habits.
Question 2.
What are the negative aspects found in drug testing exercises?
Answer:
The cost of conducting such drug tests is quite expensive and sometimes outweighs the cost involved in screening away the drug users from welfare aids.
Question 3.
What are other benefits associated with drug testing as a requirement for welfare programs?
Answer:
Drug testing helps to identify individuals who can benefit from the required treatment and can properly utilize and save money in the long term.