Applying for jobless benefits? Here, pee in a cup!!!!!

Maybe we could use confiscated lottery winnings to pay for the drug testing.

Just make this proposed legislation for all 50 states instead of Tennessee.

http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=10113069

And really 69 million is nothing. Heck Obama just gave 440 million away for one thing and 1 billion away for something else at the G20 conference. Wonder how many jobs that would have created here????

Markwes wrote:Here's a thought. How about going with the hair sample test only if the urinalyis comes back positive? Sure, you will miss the error of a passed urine test that should have failed, but just like our justice system (or at least the idea of our justice system), you have to be proven guilty beyond doubt.

Ok, quick calc with the same numbers...11.5 million, 5% unemp, 75% negative, 25% positive, urine $50, Hair $150

575K people get a $50 urine test = $28,750,000
25% fail and need to get the $150 hair test = $21,562,500

Total = $50,312,500

Yes, it would be cheaper to run that kind of program, but you still have to spend a lot of money to avoid paying some. And, you still haven't solved anything, you're only paying for peace of mind.

Why not just put that money to good use buying premium health insurance for these folks?

meta4 wrote:

Scooby01_98 wrote:Also meta unlike other things we have to pay for with our tax dollars ....this IMO would be money well spent even if they didn't catch anyone.

Ok, scooby I bit the hook. I totally understand the "horizon" you're looking at - and perhaps it exists. However, what do you think it would cost, and do you think it would be effective? Just "how" would we quantify "effective"? If you can get Hoosiers to OK another tax hike to get that program started, go with it. That isn't going to happen any time soon. If you could take the funds from some other program, which one?

Not trying to bait the hook. Yep it will cost dollars, yes we could probably use the money on something else. However we are spending money in this budget to control the smell of pig shit, so why not something like this. Why do people feel it is an entitlement to get food stamps, welfare, a form of medical care, unemployment benefits etc. and not have to do anything to get those funds? Really is asking someone to not break the law by not using drugs and having to prove it such a bad thing? This has nothing to do with the drug war IMO but rather improving yourself so you no longer have to receive government funds.

Look at all the jobs out there that require drug screening to get hired. All the jobs you have to continue to be screen on after you are hired. So making someone get clean to get off gov't assistance might just move that person further along by becoming employable and not having to rely on government funds.

Can we agree drugs are detrimental to your health? If you agree, you know all those extra taxes you have to pay on that pack of cigarettes that is suppose to go to pay for the extra cost of your health. Well look at this in reverse. This is to save the taxpayers who are already paying for your rent, food, health care etc as an incentive to not having to pay for the extra health care you are going to cause the system as a drug addict.

And who knows you flunk the drug test and instead of welfare, food stamp etc. they offer you treatment for your drug problem so you can get your benefits.

And heck I want to take this one step further lets drug test the recipients (the parent not the kid) of child support as another way to insure the money is going to the children and not the parents drug habit.

meta4 wrote:

Markwes wrote:Here's a thought. How about going with the hair sample test only if the urinalyis comes back positive? Sure, you will miss the error of a passed urine test that should have failed, but just like our justice system (or at least the idea of our justice system), you have to be proven guilty beyond doubt.

Ok, quick calc with the same numbers...11.5 million, 5% unemp, 75% negative, 25% positive, urine $50, Hair $150

575K people get a $50 urine test = $28,750,000
25% fail and need to get the $150 hair test = $21,562,500

Total = $50,312,500

Yes, it would be cheaper to run that kind of program, but you still have to spend a lot of money to avoid paying some. And, you still haven't solved anything, you're only paying for peace of mind.

Why not just put that money to good use buying premium health insurance for these folks?

I don't necessarily disagree that there are better ways to spend the money. However, though I'm no expert I would say your cost estimates may be accurate if we are talking the purchase of one test. But I'm pretty sure the state would not be buying on an 'as needed' basis. Like everything else, save when you buy in bulk!
http://www.drugtestsuccess.com/prices.htm

Now just broaden that to alcohol, and tobacco and you'd have something that I'd think is comprehensive enough to support. People dislike an unemployed alcoholic just as much as an unemployed pot smoker, no?

The point being that just because someone is poor, or unemployment is high because we're in a recession doesn't give us the right to take away their freedoms or impose a form of democratic despotism.

They don't have to believe that drugs are baaad (mmmkay), they have to follow the law.

Markwes wrote:I don't necessarily disagree that there are better ways to spend the money. However, though I'm no expert I would say your cost estimates may be accurate if we are talking the purchase of one test. But I'm pretty sure the state would not be buying on an 'as needed' basis. Like everything else, save when you buy in bulk!
http://www.drugtestsuccess.com/prices.htm

Ok, trust a $7.25 test, and waste all your money... just piss it away!

this would lead us back to the three links from the GOV and MED sectors I posted earlier in this thread re: the accuracy of these tests has never been established and how they are administered greatly affects the accuracy.

meta4 wrote:Now just broaden that to alcohol, and tobacco and you'd have something that I'd think is comprehensive enough to support. People dislike an unemployed alcoholic just as much as an unemployed pot smoker, no?

The difference is alcohol and tobacco at this moment are legal and drugs aren't. Don't want to be tested make drugs legal.