Recently, I read an article in the Huffington Post about how Kentucky is trying to pass a law making welfare applicants take a drug test. At first, I was outraged.
Randomly drug-testing people when they are trying to get the help they need is not only unfair, but seems like a major violation of their Constitutional Rights.
However, once I put some more thought into it, I am no longer outraged.
First, the details. Kentucky State Representative Lonnie Napier has introduced a bill that would enforce random drug testing for all adult Kentuckians receiving welfare, food stamps or Medicare.
He told Huffpost that by proposing this bill, he is hoping to “get people off of drugs” and save money for the state.
Under the proposed bill, Kentucky House Bill 208, people filling out applications for welfare, food stamps and Medicare who fail the random drug test would lose the benefits they already have or are denied the public assistance.
Napier feels that if the working people in his state have to submit to a random drug test while applying for a job (and sometimes a test while working at their place of employment), then so should those who are applying to receive public money.
This is the statement that made me change my mind. Mr. Representative from Kentucky, you are absolutely right.
When I was 16 years old, I was randomly drug tested while I was applying for a job at our local shopping center.
At first, I was extremely offended by being asked to partake in this random drug test, as the manger so awkwardly asked me to swab the inside of my mouth. But after I passed the test, and got the job, I really did not care.
Now, I have no problem against people applying for welfare, especially when they need it in order to get by. But, if these applicants fail a drug test, why should our government give them money?
They apparently have enough money to buy drugs, so what makes us think they don’t have enough money to support themselves each month?
If people are offended by the state asking them to partake in this test, I do understand their frustration. However, I do think it is one of the best ideas a politician has come up with in a while.
Public assistance is here to help people who need it. It is not around for people to take what they don’t need and abuse the system. Will passing this bill get people to stop doing drugs? Probably not.
John LaBruzzo, a state Representative from Louisiana, tried to push a similar bill in 2008. LaBruzzo offered to give “poor” women $1,000 to have their tubes tied and “poor” men money to have vasectomies in order to control generational welfare.
Needless to say, he has since modified his plan to include temporary forms of birth control. I believe his heart is in the right place but not so much his mind.
With House Bill 208, I hope it will make people applying for welfare, food stamps and Medicare think twice about which is more important. Congratulations, Kentucky, I hope your bill gets passed and all other 49 states follow your lead.
contact Brooke Hoftsetter at
