One of the main advantages of conducting drug tests on welfare recipients from an economic point of view include potential savings for taxpayers and decreased strain on state aid programs. Evidently, as Atlanta (2011) recorded, the state of Florida registered an amount of savings when its Governor, Rick Scott, started a drug testing for welfare recipients. In 2008, the state had a $3.6 billion dollar shortfall in their budget. However, in 2009, it saved $198,400 out of a welfare program that cost approximately $178 million. One would argue that this was a small difference, but the savings were expected to continue rising as the program became more efficient than before.
Similarly, performing drug tests on welfare recipients is an efficient way of identifying people in need of substance abuse treatment (Player, 2014). Moreover, according to Corman, Dave, Das, and Reichman (2013), it allows for those in need to get proper medical care to help them with the drug abuse condition they are dealing with and enable them to reenter the workforce fast upon recovery. Additionally, it encourages people to seek substance abuse treatment to receive aid for their families. Mainly, Besonen (2014) notes that, mandatory drug testing not only hold welfare recipients to the same standards as everybody else, but it also performs a critical service as a means of assistance for those suffering from abuse problems.
In addition to the benefits above, welfare drug testing, deter welfare recipients from using illegal drugs such as Cannabis to receive aid for their families (Perrone, Helgesen & Fischer, 2013). Consequently, the recipients save money in the long-term since they do not spend it on drugs. Moreover, they utilize the money for food, housing and other crucial needs such as childcare (Morgenstern & Blanchard, 2016). Similarly, the testing ensures that only individuals in dire need of the welfare receive it instead of those who misuse it on drugs.
References
Atlanta, J. (2011). Welfare and drug testing - Signalling as policy. Economist.com. Retrieved 16 August 2017, from https://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2011/09/welfare-and-drug-testing
Besonen, M. (2014). Drug testing for welfare recipients: Pro. The Concordian. Retrieved 16 August 2017, from http://theconcordian.org/2014/01/17/drug-testing-for-welfare-recipients-pro
Corman, H., Dave, D. M., Das, D., & Reichman, N. E. (2013). Effects of welfare reform on illicit drug use of adult women. Economic inquiry, 51(1), 653-674.
Morgenstern, J., & Blanchard, K. (2016). Welfare Reform and Substance Abuse Treatment for Welfare Recipients. Pubs.niaaa.nih.gov. Retrieved 16 August 2017, from https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh291/63-67.htm
Perrone, D., Helgesen, R. D., & Fischer, R. G. (2013). United States drug prohibition and legal highs: How drug testing may lead cannabis users to Spice. Drugs: education, prevention and policy, 20(3), 216-224.
Player, C. T. (2014). Public assistance, drug testing, and the law: The limits of population-based legal analysis. American journal of law & medicine, 40(1), 26-84.
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