Only a small fraction of low-income Tennesseans, seeking financial assistance from the state, have tested positive for illegal drugs. Six months after the state put in place a controversial program to drug-test people applying to Families First cash assistance program, the Department of Human Services could find only 37 drug users out of 16,017 applicants – much less than the state’s overall 8% rate of drug use.
Critics of the new program believe it is unfair to pick poor people for drug testing over other recipients of federal benefits; the law only demonizes and dehumanizes low income families. “You are requiring more than 16,000 people to be screened for drug use based on the assumption that people who receive public assistance are more likely to use illegal drugs. There’s no evidence to indicate that’s true,” said Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the ACLU of Tennessee.
“We support the need to combat drug addiction, but if the state truly wants to combat addiction, they should use their resources to fund drug treatment programs rather than blocking access to public benefit applicants, because we’re talking about providing for families,” he added.
If the intent of this exercise was to direct people into drug treatment programs, even there it failed terribly — just 5 enrolled.
Republicans in the state seem happy with the result. “That’s 37 people who should not be receiving taxpayer subsidies, because they are not behaving as they are supposed to. If the taxpayers are going to support you, there are certain criteria you need to adhere to. This is a good use of taxpayer money,” said state Rep. Glen Casada, a Republican from Franklin.
From July 1 to December 31, 2014, the state spent $5,295 to administer the program, including $4,215 to pay for the drug tests. The taxpayers’ money was used to deny benefits to a mere 0.23 % of applicants.
Interestingly, Florida’s drug-testing law was ruled unconstitutional in 2013 after the state spent more than $45,000 in four months to conclude that only 2% percent of welfare recipients tested positive for drugs.
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The test will only be accurate if you don’t ever loose sight of the person in question you can fake a drug test easy ask everyone in California on welfare they all do drugs
Even in the face of direct test results that prove the opposite, you still believe the BS.
Cognitive dissonance at its finest
I agree. On top of what you said, I don’t like handing people Groceries, Cars, Homes, Heat, Education, etc for free so they can take their Cash, which they claim they didn’t make, to purchase Beth, Heroine, Oxy, Cocaine, etc. Ie- I REFUSE to pay your bills, so you can get high, be lazy, drink and drive, steal, and or assault people because you’re coming down from your high, or trying to accumulate money for that next purchase.
Ignorant asshole. I hope your precious riot police take you behind your house and execute the hell out of you and your family when the time comes.
if you know u gotta get tested u just bring in clean piss
Michelle it sounds like you know what your talking about, you must have had to do this before you have such expertise in this scenario, huh.
No…. you simple woman! Its called common sense! #dontbeabitch
No John it’s not common sense, it’s called someone who most likely has done it before! #dontbeadick
No John It’s called most likely she has done this before! #dontbeadick
Yep, so I can go to WORK. btw, pot is about the only drug that you can test for dumbass, other drugs are out of your system in 3 days or less.
And I quote. “If the taxpayers are going to support you, there are certain criteria you need to adhere to. This is a good use of taxpayer money,” said state Rep. Glen Casada, a Republican from Franklin.
Uhhh don’t police and government officials rely on taxpayers support? Do they get drug tested? And isn’t there criteria that needs to bet met for them to receive their benefits? As in a fair and just legal system that’s not corrupted by dirty politicians. Just sayin
I agree with you tk. It’s not just the welfare system. It’s everywhere and why just pinpoint the poor. More of our tax dollars go to the government officials than to welfare. But than again they have money and power so maybe taxpayers don’t mind the dirty politicians getting high on their tax dollars they just don’t want the poor getting high on tax dollars. Fuck it drug test the whole population through blood work or hair follicles and see what the stats come back as then. Most likely most of the drug users will be the politicians, government officials, and the people performing the drug tests. And by the way I’m not on welfare nor am I a drug user! And what about the tax dollars that are supposed to fix the freaking roads and bridges. Where’s that money because the roads are terrible everywhere. I’ll tell you where it is it’s either getting all of them high or getting them cars, houses, prostitutes, Viagra or $1000. plates of food at banquets or lunches!
Do police officers get drug tested?? Are you kidding me? Have you ever held a job? Of course they are drug tested! Just like every other lawfully employed person in America! They are tested before employment, and both regularly and randomly during employment. And if they fail, even once, they lose their job…just like every other lawfully employed person! This is not some ridiculous requirement. This is what is already required of employed people!
Bullshit. You have one test to get hired, tested if suspect, tested if hurt. One bad test in most cases does not equate to a fired cop either. That is the real norm. Most jobs that require a college degree do not require drug testing after hire. People are naive and that is why the government is running the show.
Mel most people that come up hot for drugs at their place of employment are not fired they are offered drug treatment If they want to keep their jobs. And police officers are nothing more than than normal citizens until they put on their badge. Not all police officers are bad, But police officers do drugs too, they steal, they take bribes, and even recently around my area a policeman killed his wife. So bullshit is what I say. Just because someone is an official or law officer or even the fuckin president doesn’t mean shit ok. Drugs do not discriminate they touch anyone and everyone. And honestly my opinion is they are the ones taking most of the tax dollars and doing harm to the rest of us. It’s all a big ball of political crap! And lets not forget about the tax dollars paying to keep the pedophiles in jail, when there is no place in society for them. So why house and feed them, Just kill them and get it over. People have been getting put in jail for not paying fines. Ok so they can’t pay a fine so let’s put them in jail, feed them, shelter them and treat them like a criminal. Is that money being put to good use? NO It’s not. And don’t even get me started about the Judges. One name for ya…Judge Chiavarella And what about the Merricle company? Where do you think all them kick backs came from? Do your research. Do you even have an education? or are you one of the politicians stealing all of our tax dollars?
this is dumb of course people are going to pass these test. they need to be surprised test these people knew they had to pas a test well ahead of time. on top of that these need to be test dont on hair sample not urine.they need to do this in all 50 states
And YOU are the reason why this bullshit exists
Yes, lets just target the poor, because the poor are useless humans that spend everything they have on drugs
Fuck off you sack of shit, if you want people to be tested? Then you test everyone or no one at all
Exactly! You apply for any government grant loan or assistance you should be tested! Either that or shut the f up about what specific stereotype you think should be tested!”Everyone or no one!”
I agree everyone gets tested or no one gets tested! It’s that simple.
Yeah it’s called they used detox. Works in about 1-2 days from what people I know tell me. I can guarantee there are more than 37 people….
Hannah you are only as good as the company you keep and by your comment that doesn’t say much about you. And you can guarantee? now that sounds pretty stupid
There’s no such thing as detox, that’s marketing hype. Only your organs, mostly your liver and kidneys, can remove toxins from your body. Apart from that I can “guarantee” you can’t drug test over 16,000 people for $5000, 3 bucks apiece? Bullcrap.
actually it is possible to purchase drug tests for a dollar
You did your math wrong buddy. It would be about 3 people for 1 dollar.
I live in Tennessee and have for over ten years. I have never heard of anyone being drug tested by DHS. Not sure where thus story is coming from. Maybe there is another Tennessee I’ve never heard of.
Now lets drug test all politicians
I agree with you JM. They also need to drug test the people who are performing the drug test.
I agree with you JM.
Governor, I think you’ll find you need to look no further than outside your office door to find the real Drug users.
To imply that low income families are spending that sparse amount of money you give them to feed their families on drugs, Is about as retarded as your obvious “War on the poor”
Well said Anonymous
Okay, try follicle testing then, and make it random. Throw em a curve ball. You yourself said that the detection rate was less than .5% yet the general population rate is 8%, that to me signifies considerable error.
No what that shows, is whats always been. Per capita, the greater percentage of drug use acures from in the upper middle class to wealthy. If the test is soley for weed then than its useless anyways. That would be equal to banning people from drinking. But the white drugs(by color of drug not user) generally are 3 to 7 days to clear out 100percent. Weed is the only testable drug that stays in the system past 2 weeks.a hair sample test is ideal. However way much more expensive. All politicans and staffers need to be tested bi weekly. Bet that clears out a huge chunk of the always hypocritical right wing extremists.i am for testing everyone that gets govt money. By everyone, from school teachers, to local city board members, public servants, to the fin president. But we all know obama smokes weed. Hes the first prez to be honest about it. Ever hear george jr mention his positive test for cocaine that got his flyboy status stripped from him while in the cupcake reserves?
Drug test anyone getting their money from the government. Plain and simple…you are the biggest employer and therefore it would be more broad-based and not ruled discriminatory. Sounds good? ALL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES! From the President down to the recipients of tax payer funds. THAT sounds fair to those of us paying the taxes…and the people WE hire to work for our government or need government money. Make a budget and stick to it. Take money and train people for jobs!! New hires and current employees. Give them a challenge.
From food stamp abuse to pork barrel projects, WE ALL need to take a hard look and get our government out of the hands of the trillionaires and back into the hands of the AMERICAN PEOPLE!!
Now that sounds like a good plan, Michael. Too bad it will never be put to use because the politicians will never let it happen.
I want to see every elected official pass a drug and alcohol test before they can take office and tested on the days that they sit to vote on legislation. And they also need to pass a psychological evaluation. I don’t want my hard earned tax dollars being wasted by wasted psychopaths. Do judges have to take a drug and alcohol test. Does my surgeon or doctor take a test? How about Bill Gates? It is my opinion that the places that will be doing the tests will also be corrupted with nepotism.This is just another wast of mine and yours money. Let the voters stand up and speak.
Here is the problem, and I am for freedom as much as the next person. Freedom is only good, if what you do doesn’t affect other people around you in an adverse way.
First off, drug tests can tricked, look at Lance Armstrong.
Secondly, lets say that 2% of all people on welfare are using drugs, and this is a very conservative estimate. Nation wide there are over 100 Million people in the US on welfare. That means 20,000 people are using drugs while on welfare. at least say 35K a year (which is 200% more than I make in a year), times 20,000 people, that is 700 Million a year. The US States about 126 Billion a year on welfare. If we take my estimates that is, we are looking at 300 Million short of a Billion.
I don’t know about you, or anyone else here, but that is waste, and aren’t we suppose to stop waste?
When government ask for money, and use it on something but what it is meant to, that is a problem. So why are US citizens treated any differently?
Just curious, because if we are to hold the government to a specific standard, shouldn’t we hold people sucking on the tit of the same government to the same standard?
Where do you live that a person could get 35k on welfare. I am disabled and get less than $9,000 a year.
How come we don’t drug test the politicians who make tons of $$$$$$$ in office from our tax money and control all of us???
I think the politicians and law makers should have to take polygraph and drug tests before they can run for government…..I’d like to see those results!