<p> Welfare Drug Testing</p><p>Today’s economy spends more money on drugs then they do to buy a house. The men and women are more likely to die from drugs then from a car wreck. If drug addicts are getting money from the government and spending it on drugs, there not supporting their kids. Also, if the government is testing them for their jobs then why wouldn’t they just test them for their money?</p><p>Some states in America haven’t passed this state law; Florida was the first state to pass the law! Right now, they made a new state law which is designed to prevent drug users from receiving welfare. </p><p>This law calls for drug testing of all welfare applicants, which is broader than what is being proposed. While drug use is more common among women receiving welfare, the overall incident rate is small; in one study, only 3.6 percent of recipient’s satisfied screening criteria for drug abuse or dependence. </p><p>Beginning in July 2011, Florida began requiring adults who were otherwise eligible for welfare cash assistance to submit a negative drug test before receiving benefits. Since the program has been in effect for a full quarter, this report looks at the state’s experience during these first three months, and updates projections of the law’s likely fiscal impact during the first full year of operation. The program is currently subject to a lawsuit in federal court filed by the ACLU of Florida challenging the constitutionality of this requirement, which is explicitly allowed by federal law.</p><p>In the first quarter, 7,028 applicants completed the drug test and tested negative for drug use, completing their eligibility requirements for welfare cash assistance. Of these 7,028 approved applicants, only 2,163 adults (from 1,971 families) requested and received reimbursement for their drug testing fees. That means just 28 percent of approved applicants have requested and received reimbursement in the first quarter. Average reimbursement per adult is $26.78 with a total of $57,920.95 in testing fees reimbursed. </p>