Drug Testing the Unemployed and Benefit Applicants
by What’s next oh fearless leaders… Jump? Yeah, sure, how high would you want me to jump?
Only In America
Delegate Craig Blair is running a campaign to test people out of work and/or claiming benefits in the United States. He wants to test people for drugs before they get their benefits if they fail the first test they keep the benefits but have to get clean, if they fail the test the second time they lose their benefits for two years. In a nutshell that’s what he wants to happen and as an Idea, it may be a good one. What he didn’t take into consideration is how many people this will effect.
There are perfectly good families that will be torn apart by this imposition. There are prescribed drugs that can cause people to fail this test, there are people depending on these drugs and benefits to get from one day to the next. To impose such rules would drive unemployment up as well as homelessness due to people taking these prescribed drugs.
But on the other hand you are taking all the stoners, rounding them up and forcing them to change or else. Weed smokers are a group of people, you may say a race amongst us. To take them out of the equation would leave them with nothing to do. Some of these people don’t drink at all, and the expression that weed is a gateway drug to other drugs is just stupidity and ignorance combined. As a drug user myself the weed is what keeps me from taking any harder drugs and is what got me off the other drugs. That’s a first hand statement not by some one that never done drugs and making wild accusations, obviously they don’t know what they are talking about and shouldn’t actually talk about what they do not know about. That’s what I was always though when I was growing up, I see now why.
Most of the musicians in the world smoke weed and they get their inspiration from it. These musicians have given people the best songs ever handed from generation to generation. Clapton, The Beatles, Aerosmith the list is really longer than you actually thought and it has no end as long as there are musicians they’re will be stoners.
That all said there are families that are perfectly fully functional, and say the husband or wife is out of work because of the recession. One of them smokes weed but needs to claim benefits for a couple of months while they are out of work. They fail the first test, they are branded a drug addict instantly without any explanation, this could harbour any future employment because this would ruin ones credibility. If they fail the second time they have no benefits and employment will look unlikely too.
Smoking Weed is a choice not an addiction, it is not classed as an addictive drug. If it is, that is people that never smoked it before telling you. People smoking it will tell you that its not addictive, In fact from my perspective cigarettes are more addictive and harder to give up. If I have no cigarettes I get agitated if I have no weed, I simply have no weed. I know what your thinking why am I listening to this stoner… Every time you turn on the radio or listen to music you are doing the same, and most of the worlds greatest inventions came from stoners sitting and thinking.
Okay I agree with the harder drugs and trying to banish them off the streets, they are the drugs that tear families apart and are responsible for most crimes. A stoner will turn the offer of crime down, Eh no I will just stay and relax. But no drug test will separate these drugs from weed or prescription drugs that’s why it didn’t work the last time and its sure to fail this time too. Its the same with the smoking ban, people want to smoke let them smoke. Life is about choice and a freedom of choice, no government can take that away from anybody it is you God given right to live your life the way you want to live it, not what you are told to do. The word dictatorship springs to mind.. But what is funny in countries with a dictatorship you might have more freedoms than you would expect. Makes you think though whos the dictators ?
Image via Wikipedia
This man is not just staring into space, great things are happening behind these eyes.
Liked it
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Post CommentPhill Senters
On April 1, 2009 at 9:31 am
Interesting take on drugs and law.
clay hurtubise
On April 1, 2009 at 9:49 am
Interesting piece. The whole legal system with drugs needs to be overhauled (in the US we have the highest, per capita, amount of people jailed for non-violent crimes in the world).
Thanks,
Clay
thestickman
On April 1, 2009 at 11:08 am
Saw that in the news. Not sure what to make of it myself. I want to see both sides of the argument, but not want to see people using Tax Payer’s money to buy weed to make themselve feel good about their situation. Some states have a ‘lifetime maximum’ of Welfare any recipient can receive. After that, -no more. -Wondering if this is even still in effect? They had ‘Workfare’, -where Welfare recipients had to obligatorily work X-many hours per week (and it was a VERY fair few hours) to ‘prove’ their willingness to receive Assistance. Most of the people whom had to work, lauded it as ‘terrible’ that they had to (GASP!) WORK(?!?!) to get their monthly free money.. but after a few months, they kind of liked it and got some respect, and applied for full-time and better-paying jobs, and THEY became Tax Payers.
DA Cournean
On April 1, 2009 at 2:10 pm
I pretty much agree with thestickmans comments. I don’t like to see able bodied people getting a free ride on the tax payers money. However, I do think the government is intruding into our lives way too much. If you haven’t already read “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. it’s a great short story and I think it conveys what could be, if the government aquires too much control over us.
Daisy Peasblossom
On April 1, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Methinks the gentleman doth protest too much.
The Quail
On April 1, 2009 at 6:08 pm
Interesting take on drugs and law.
chigozie
On April 1, 2009 at 7:14 pm
the unemployed rate is rocking the world and yet many go ahome with millions.
just grab how to make millions ok at
http://www.incomemanager.blogspot.com
http://www.homepaidjob.blogspot.com
wwww.incomepark.blogspot.com
http://www.divine-wealth.blogspot.com
have fun and be richer
Jo Oliver
On April 2, 2009 at 12:24 am
stephencardiff-
R/T your comment to stick- you miss the point that if these families need the money so desperately to buy food, clothes, shelter, etc… then why would they be spending money on weed. If they have drugs in their system, then obviously they are buying drugs with their money instead of meeting their own basic needs.
That said, I too have a hard time balancing how far I want gov to stick their noses into personal lives. If weed were legal, this would be a diff debate. But, fact is that it isnt legal. So, people shouldnt do it, whether they feel that it is a harmless drug or not. So, by that, I would be okay with testing. BTW: there are drug test that isolate the substance(s) that are being looked for, and anyone that gives a drug test is required to ask the person taking it what RX meds they take. I have given thousands of drug tests, and never had a prob with RX meds (identified by the test subject) skewing a drug test.
Interesting debate this will be for sure! Great job presenting your side.
Westbrook
On April 4, 2009 at 5:28 am
I tried weed and smoked cigarettes for awhile in my life; I am an educated and creative person, so I have a right to speak on the subject. I do not favor big government, but if somebody is doing something that affects me and my family, the issue is no longer private and I have a right to expect some protection from a government that I helped elect. Smoking weed may seem to be a private issue, but if welfare is involved, it isn’t and it should be regulated. Weed users need to make a mature choice to stop using weed if they care to receive public assistance to feed their family. If they cannot make that choice, forego any help.
Michelle
On April 4, 2009 at 7:05 am
Hmmmmm…you’re a funny guy! what a rebel
I can see the case on both sides and I understand what you’re saying. But you cant please all the people all the time, some are just going to disagree with you mate!
Luffy12
On April 6, 2009 at 12:48 am
Great dude!
CutestPrincess
On April 6, 2009 at 1:38 am
good information…
Robert
On April 11, 2009 at 12:26 am
People have no idea at all. Some people are born that way, they never adapt to modern society, the psychological structure of the brain is simply dysfunctional in terms of adoption to a modern society versus early nomadic life styles. Force the to work and they work poorly, represent a risk to any workers and generally cost more than they produce. Attempt to starve them to death, which apparently is the preferred American solution and they simply resort to crime in order to survive, imprison them then is too late as other innocent victims have already suffered. Of course in prison it cost you five times as much as providing them free welfare, housing and medical. Turn them into prison slave labour to pay their way and you basically end up firing honest people and replacing their jobs with prison labour, forcing them to what, break the law so they can get a job in order to survive because there is no social welfare ?
Nathan G
On April 12, 2009 at 9:35 am
very interesting piece you covered the subject well.
Karen Gross
On April 17, 2009 at 8:38 pm
You have raised an interesting debate here. I happen to be collecting a government disability pension in Canada. It was very difficult to get, especially since my Parkinson’s disease had not yet been diagnosed. I spent about a year and a half writing letters and making phone calls.
It must be very difficult to be the one making the call as to who deserves benefits and who does not. There is definitely no easy solution to this problem – no one deserves to starve or to live on the streets, but anyone who is able should have to at least try to find employment.
I have seen news documentaries which advocated spying on people who claim to be disabled. I mentioned this to my neurologist. With Parkinson’s, my symptoms are constantly changing. I could spend an hour working and appear to be fine, and then the next hour I could be twisted into a human pretzel with excruciatingly painful muscle cramps and not be able to move.
My point? Very tough subject.
Jaye McCaffery
On July 1, 2009 at 3:07 pm
The point about government intrusion on privacy is a good one. Up to what point can they tell you what to spend your money on. Will they be checking people’s kitchens for expensive food brands? Closets for designer clothes? (I’m sorry sir, you’ve tested negative for Hillfiger).