Posted on 11/15/2002 11:03:51 AM PST by LurkedLongEnough
Lansing, Michigan-AP -- A federal appeals court has cleared the way for Michigan to test welfare recipients for drug use.
The state's drug-testing program had been halted by a federal judge, after a group of welfare recipients and the American Civil Liberties Union sued. They argued that the testing is unconstitutional.
An appeals court reversed that decision today. The three-judge panel ruled that the testing program is based on a legitimate need to ensure that public money is not used for illegal purposes.
The pilot program requires welfare applicants in a handful of Michigan communities to provide urine samples for drug screening before they can be considered for benefits.
Applicants who tested positive for drugs would be sent to treatment. They could eventually lose benefits if they fail to go.
Michigan was the first state to pass such a program, and many other states have been watching the case.
An attorney who sued on behalf of several welfare recipients says he will appeal today's ruling.
Or did I just answer my own questions....
So, who pays for this treatment?
I am totally against welfare in the first place so I am a little indifferent about this. I dont care if they use drugs or not, just dont give people any money for not working period.
I think that statistically, Anesthesiologists, Anesthetists, and Dentists are most frequently found to be abusing drugs like Fentanyl. But I am not aware that anyone tests these groups...
I do like the idea that Congresscritters should be drug-tested- along with federal judges- after all, they made workplace drug testing mandatory in a wide variety of occupations, often on pretty nebulous grounds.
Bingo.
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