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Friday, December 02, 2011

States Seek Drug Tests For Welfare Recipients

Atlanta - At least 36 states across the U.S. are proposing laws that would require applicants for and recipients of a variety of public aid programs to undergo drug testing in which they would have to provide a urine sample. Several states, including Arizona, Florida, Indiana and Missouri, have already passed such laws.

Participation in government assistance programs is nearing, and in some areas, exceeding record highs.

Over 45 million U.S. citizens, or about 15 percent of the population, now receive food stamps, according to numbers released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in October. This is the largest number of food stamp participants recorded since the beginning of the program.

The proportions of those receiving food stamps are even higher in certain states, especially southern ones, with a high level of poverty.

Most of the current proposals for drug testing focus on recipients of cash assistance through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

But some states are also looking at requiring applicants to undergo drug testing in order to receive food stamps, heating assistance, unemployment assistance or Medicaid.

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6 comments:

Michele said...

Let's go for it!!!! that is the best news I have heard all day...

Anonymous said...

It's about time, if they can afford drugs they don't need welfare.

Alex said...

Great idea!

Anonymous said...

And how about spot checks on the home to kick out the live-in boyfriend?

Anonymous said...

and the "baby daddy's" whose name they don't put on the birth certificates anymore so the state can't come after them for paternity testing and child support.

Should be.... No Baby Daddy Name = No Benefits

Anonymous said...

How about getting the office workers to take a drug test too.