Do you think that welfare recipients should have mandatory drug tests?

thast a pretty good idea, but then what happens if someone is addicted to dugs then they will turn to violent crimes again its a bad cycle, maybe they can force them to get clean-- now theres a good idea, incarcerate them till they are clean for a period of time

What would happen to those who fail? Or more importantly what happens to the children of adults who fail? The food stamp program specifically (not cash benefits) provides food, I don't think children should be further punished if their parents have addictions. If anyone is abusing the food stamp program by selling their benefits for cash, there are already laws in place to prosecute them for that. If the law is about cash grants that's a different matter in my mind.

I think that is a wonderful idea. If they are in bad need of money and have to use our taxes to support themselves, then they should have to be tested. I think if the test comes up positive, they should loose all government assistance forever.

If they did go for testing then the state would probably have to offer them detox. This would be one more thing that we would have to pay for. I could not as a working person afford a detox program, but you know that someone would win that in court.

YES - a million times YES! They require it on most jobs to be hired these days! Yet to get free money - they don't. IT's like you have to be clean to pay taxes, but if you just want the govt to give you money, it doesn't matter! Such a disgrace and misjustice

Yes I totally agree; I doubt the country would be in so much debt supporting the population that lives off of us; yet no test(s) are being done to enforce the laws?? I wrote a similar blog.

I know a lot of people in dangerous jobs like miners and such have to pee into a bottle. If those people have to pee to be able to work it's only fair that recipients of benefits should also have to pee in a bottle. I'm talking about people on the dole or Newstart. That's people who are out of work and supposedly looking for work. Many of these people are just bludgers, which in Australia is a very derogatory term.

I absolutely think so but what would we do if they failed the test, they wouldnt be eligible for anymore benefits until they came up clean again?