In search of a drug-free Ohio
State Rep. Robert F. Hagan knows that his latest proposal has as much chance of passing the General Assembly as Gov. John Kasich has of being invited by AFSCME to lead a Labor Day parade.
Some legislators are playing to their constituencies with legislation that would require drug testing for anyone receiving public assistance or unemplyment benefits from the state. Hagan is playing to his with a what’s-good-for-the-goose-is-good-for-the-gander counterproposal.
Hagan says that he won’t vote for state Sen. Tim Grendell’s legislation aimed at mandatory drug testing applicants for benefits at Job and Family Services unless legislators and other elected officials, including Supreme Court justices, are also subject to mandatory drug and alcohol testing.
The Hagan and Grendell proposals each raise questions of constitutionality — and not only in requiring people to pay for their own tests up front. But those millions of people who are subject to entry-level or mandatory random testing to get or keep their jobs, should be inclined to support both Hagan, D-Youngstown, and Grendell, R-Chesterton.
All Hagan and Grendell have to do is demonstrate that the law would be constitutional, fair and cost-effective.
Comments
If people receiving welfare, state or federal should be drug tested to protect the tax payer then priorities should be set. We should get the most bang for our buck. The oil companies like Chevron who avoid paying taxes altogether and in fact receive billions in tax credits payed for by the middle class should be at the top of the list due to the corporate welfare they and others receive. I've worked on projects for Chevron and every construction worker must pass a drug test before working on a project.
I've had to pass drug test to work on many other construction projects. I don't see a problem with people receiving welfare or the legislators passing the laws having to pass the same test but those companies on corporate welfare should be at the top of the list.
Dreamers can always dream!
To me its about more then cost saving in welfare programs its about fighting the destruction of our way of life by drugs.
I have seen drugs turn good women in to prostitute that sell there body. Next time you see a cop ask him if drugs are the major driver of prostitution? I have seen it turn men that i have known all my life that would never steal or lie in to someone that i would shoot on site if they came to my front door.
There are those that say look at Florida only 2% failed isnt that enough what is a percentage we worry about 5, 10 or 50 how bad does it have to get before we care. I though our nations drug problem was bad enough already but i guess not.
Well, to be honest, the urine test is only really going to detect marijuana users, the rest of the drugs all are quickly metabolized and won't show up in a urine sample after 2-3 days. So those spending welfare checks on more expensive addictions such as heroin, crack, and meth are going to be able to get off more easily than those who use marijuana (which can be detected in urine up to a month after using) which doesn't cost all that much to buy and is so much gentler and less harmful than other drugs, and also has therapeutic benefits. So, I see this proposal as sort of flawed. I do agree that those receiving government aid should not buy any form of drugs, but this is only going to punish the least we need to worry about of the offenders.
Drugs have been around for centuries and they aren't going to just disappear anytime soon.
Preliminary results from Florida show that it is costing the state more to reimburse for drug tests for those that pass, than is recovered by not paying benefits to those that fail. It will be interesting to see how that plays out in the long term.
Im tired of hearing about the Florida examples without seeing the actual stats. I can assure you less people are applying for welfare because they know they will not pass the drug test. But nobody mentions that. Im tired of these politicians not doing what is right for Ohio too. Any person who is getting money from the State of Ohio, including legislators, should have to pass a drug test. It should be a hair test, and it should be paid for by the person applying for the job, being elected/appointed for a position, and by the person applying for welfare. Why do we have to pay that person back if they pass? They are getting a job/position/welfare and that is enough.
I have decided Mexico cannot solve their internal drug cartel issues, so we should concentrate our efforts to using CIA drones flying over Mexican cartel bosses, just as we did with Al Qaida leaders and supporters. Mexican cartel bosses are worse terrorists against our country than any other group in our history and we need to begin putting pressure on them.