Congress Tells States They Can Drug Test for Unemployment Benefits
Last week, the political blustering of federal lawmakers once again resulted in a law that unfairly targets marijuana users without any proof of effectiveness. On Friday, Congress reached a payroll and benefits deal that allows states to drug test any person applying for unemployment benefits if that person is looking for work in a field where drug testing is commonplace.
Thankfully, states have the option to not take part in this plan. The recent surge in states considering such policies, however, may mean that they may soon become much more common.
Florida’s experience with drug testing people applying for public benefits should have been a wake-up call for lawmakers. After passing a bill requiring unemployment beneficiaries to submit drug tests, Florida authorities soon discovered that not only was drug use extremely rare among those applying for assistance, but drug testing was actually costing the taxpayers more money! The whole point of the law was to decrease costs, so that tough-on-crime politicians could grandstand about how tax dollars in their districts aren’t buying drugs for lazy people.
Congress really needs to stop wasting its time worrying about the tiny percentage of people on public assistance that are marijuana users and instead consider all the taxpayer money they are wasting by arresting people for marijuana use at all.
Tagged with: Congress and drug testing and Federal and FL and Florida and taxes and test and unemployment by the author
25 comments
99% of the members of congress are there to go beyond insider trading by influencing the market and to claim they have done nothing wrong. That is why Wall Street are in such a mess.
That is also why the federal government is acting like an addicted gambler who is broke and wants more money.
Who is really benefiting from mandatory drug testing, is it the same people who want cannabis illegal?
Any human who assaults another human or causes any amount of unnecessary pain consciouly or knowingly is a sadist. People with low self esteem, with limited intelligence or imagination, i.e. losers use the law to feel superior to those they bust. It is no different as the nazis who persecuted people because they were labeled with a word they didn’t like (Jewish, Bolshevick, etc). Words and labels don’t exist in reality, only our physical being is real. Sadistic people actually killed other people simply because of their alleged blood. No difference at all with pot users or possessors. Therefore all cops, politicians, anyone who causes harm to anyone else because of pot is by definition a sadistic. Losers who are unhappy with their lives, who feel inferior can use pot people as scapegoats. In fact it is worse now than in nazi germany, because their madness ended in 1945 after 5 years of war, but the nazis in america have no end in sight. Do you think a happy person would give one hoot what anyone else does with their bodies? I think tatoos are ugly and stupid, but I could never imagine enacting laws to stop it. Every cop, every judge, every prosecutor who causes one iota of pain to a person because of pot is a violent sadist plain and simple. And the sick thing is they enjoy it. That is what a sadist is.
How about test for alcohol &/or tobacco as they’re health issues,too, so don’t discriminate against private workers lifestyle!
Trying different things in different states? That’s what federalism is all about!
Is this Ghandi’s quote?: First they ridicule you,then they fight you, and then you win….they certainly are intent on undermining our progress, but are merely forestalling the inevitable.
And once again…There goes another civil right!..The Fourth Amendment is gone..Reasonable Suspicion?, don’t need it. Probable cause?..Don”t need that, either.
Say hello to the beginning of the end.-The POLICE STATE.
BOYCOTT any business engaged in Drug Testing employees..They support the removal of our rights and SUPPORT the Terrorists, our government!~!
If you live in Connecticut and want to end marijuana prohibition in our state, please take a minute to visit http://www.ctprimaryproject.com.
Please pass this on to anyone you know in Connecticut!
Instead of testing those applying, test the ones that already have it. And decrease the amount of money people are given.
OUTRAGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A law founded on a lie has gotten far out of control because the people will not revolt!!!!!!!!!
Outrageous indeed. As citizens we better pat attention to such incursions. This is misguided and wrong on so many levels.
I will not vote ever again for a sitting politcian that does not support cannabis, EVER!!! I do not care which or if any party is involved. I will from this day foreward only vote for the one supporting cannabis reform. every person that uses, or has used, should vote the same. The first thing that has to happen is Donald Trump has to run on a third party ticket. His outlook on foreign and domestic issues are in line with our founding fathers. but most importantly, Mr. Trump supports reform. Mitt the twit or a socialist, we have no hope for another four years.
I’m not going to waste my life away whining, I’m voting for Ron Paul.
Don’t work for anyone who does not respect you or your rights. Forget the unions. Forget companies who want your blood, saliva, urine. Work for yourself, or for someone who respects marijuana for what it is. I would pick garbage off the curb and make a living before I would succumb to some demeaning slave master who would hold my marijuana use over my head, and I have, and lived through it.
For those who say “I won’t vote” – USE THE WRITE IN OPTOION.
If Ron Paul isn’t the REP nominee, write him in, if he is your choice. If your choice is Mark Emory, write him in. FUCK OBAMA and THE REPUBICAN PARTY.
I just lost a job placement in California for testing positive for trace amounts of marijuana. My mother was diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma in August and is using medical marijuana for help after her chemo treatments. I am her caregiver and have been around and handled her cannabis for her and got my own m.m. card to be on the safe side. I thought since I was applying for a job in California where m.m. is legal that I would be okay. But was told that since this was a federal job our state laws did not apply. I have been out of work and on unemployment for almost a year now. Sad thing is I am not a heavy user and only use occasionally at social outings. I am being punished for caring for my ailing parent.
And Again the working man takes it up the shoot!!! HELLO WELFARE IS GOVERNMENT MONEY!!!!! I am sick to death with the stuoid people that run our government. Stop Picking on the people with Pride and a Job…….
I would hope that most people realize that marijuana prohibition has nothing to do with marijuana. From the very start a backroom deal was made. Tit for Tat, rub mine and I’ll rub yours. Marijuana was never very popular in America back in the 30′s but it was gaining users and the alcohol industry noticed. Hemp was, and still is, very popular as a fiber for clothes, paper, rope and many more items. Mr. Dupont had just invented an artificial fabric back then and sure wished that hemp would just go away somehow. He was friends with a Mr. Anslinger who just happened to be the new United States Commissioner of Narcotics. Well, one thing lead to another and Mr.Anslinger, under oath, testified to Congress in 1937 the following:
“There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others.”
~ Harry Anslinger,
U.S. Commissioner of Narcotics,
testifying to Congress on why marijuana should be made illegal
(Marijuana Tax Act, signed Aug. 2, 1937; effective Oct. 1, 1937.)
But it wasn’t good enough to just prohibit marijuana. Mr. Anslinger insisted that the entire plant be prohibited for some odd reason. And so it was. In 1937 a common plant that mankind had used and trusted became illegal to such a degree that our police broke into our homes to stop us from using marijuana. Although marijuana had never harmed anyone ever we deemed it so dangerous that, at one time, just puffing one time could cost you 20 years in prison. Isn’t that odd? This weed was thought to be so dangerous that our country added millions of police to the local forces to combat this horrible weed that had never harmed anyone. We created an entire Federal level Department largely because marijuana had become so dangerous and just had to be stopped. Trillions of dollars later here we are, older but just as stupid. Keep it up America, winning this marijuana war is just around the corner. Just a few more trillion dollars and we will win! We just need to hire a few more million police and build some more jails and add on some more judges and courts and oh, forced rehabilitation. We have rehab’ed millions of pot users and they are so thankful for the opportunity to become a clean and upright citizen of America “where white lighting is still the biggest thrill of all”. Makes you wonder how many pot user’s lives we haved saved by forcing them into rehab? Better yet, how many jobs we have created by prohibiting marijuana! Pot users care about the economy too! We really don’t mind the forced entries, the ransacking
of our homes, shooting our pets, the jail time, fines, seizures, forfeitures and especially, the forced rehabs. We understand how many people we help keep employed! I think that is all going to change soon. That’s what I hear anyways. Sorry, you all may just have to to out and get real jobs and I sure hope you struggle finding one. Excuse me for being condensending and sarcastic.
I lost my job for having a medical marijuana card. the state knows it and they allow me to collect unemployment still. It makes me upset that my employer fired me for something issued by the state but at least Oregon understands and allows me to collect for now.
I think this drug testing has gone far enough this attack on citizen to catch the 1% is outrageous The cost of testing an employee is considerable as well 200 + dollars per person ,yet no raise is attach with substandard The test can and is offensives I have been tested for just speaking on the issue of legalization and now continuity tested for employment for safety issue The testing does test often the results in faults positive leaving the employee to proof his innocents the constitution provides for protection in ones person this is a search of ones P or blood for working slave Its getting where the supported credit spending by government controls and pressure the practice Its place me in a state of war nothing less
massvocals
by the way i never tested postive been tested 4 time and brought law suit twice and won not once did i work for any employer testing there jack booted thugs nothing more
They need to test for excessive alcohol and pharacuetical use because from what I’ve seen in the private sector over the last 40 years – those people that are pill poppers/alcohs miss a lot of work, do a sub-par job and are very apathetic. Us cannabis users tend to be very creative, very productive and respond well to a positive work environment. They also need to test the politicans for pills & alcohol the day they are elected and subject them to random testing thru-out their career.
I’m pro marijuana and completely agree with this law. If someone is broke, they shouldn’t be using my tax dollars to irresponsibly buy marijuana. My tax dollars should act as sustenance while they search for another job, and if they can’t be responsible with my money then they can’t have it.
congress should be drug tested.they are obviously HIGH
I live in AL. Right next door to FL the place where they 1st tried this Male Bovine Excrement. After 2 years of drug testing for welfare recipients they found that it cost about $30,000/person to do the drug testing. They found that less than ½ of 1% of welfare recipients tested positive for drugs in their system.
Please explain to me justification for spending $30,000 to test people who receives less than $28,000? When you find less than 5 people in 1000 who use drugs. By my math that is spending $30,000,000 to save less than $140,000.
To quote Bill Cosby,”RRRRIIIIIGGHHT!
Government is not a business. The goals, the purposes of government are totally different from business. You can balance the budget of government but you can’t run a government at a profit. No one in their right mind would want to. What is happening in FL is what happens when you elect a businessman to government office. STOP WASTING OUR MONEY.
~;^}>
If you want things the way they used to be- tax a millionaire, support a union and buy American.
denbee..”Hat’s Off”..someone who actually gets it!
Our government has NEVER planned on legalizing marijuana. When you’re the “top dog” and reaping all the benefits, there is no room for “wannabee’s”.
Our government is fully aware of how legalization could and would stimulate our country like it’s never been stimulated before! But that would be a way for people to better themselves. I don’t see that being a “High Priority” issue.
Lastly, I REALLY DO MIND that people can be and ARE subjected to illegal searches, forced entries, jail time and anything else they can charge you with. The rehabilitation theory is nothing more than another way to make money and lots of it! Ever wonder where those trillions of dollars came from that were spent?
The prohibition of marijuana is no different than the prohibition of alcohol. The government can make more money if it’s illegal, but Thank God the people during the prohibition of alcohol didn’t give up the fight to have what was rightfully theirs. Let’s hope we see that kind of fight again.
Thank you.
I will blow my brains out before i do ANYTHING for this country EVER. Seriously, if I cant choose how to treat my migranes id rather be dead. 3 to 4 migranes a month is enough to make anyone suicidal and here ive found something that gets rid of them completely, yet its illegal and im a criminal for smoking it to RELEIVE PAIN not to get high and munch on a bag of doritos. I could be a very productive member of society but i choose not to. you work half your life away and sleep another 30% so you really get 20% of your life to enjoy. Rest of the time you toil away making some fatcat rich for a pittance breaking yourself down, by the time you retire you cant enjoy the tiny portion of our lives they think they gave us. I dont know how most of you rationalize this but to me, we are slaves tied down by the all mighty dollar. not saying money is a bad thing but when the system is broke its broke thats all there is to it. How about you REALLY give us citizens some freedoms and stop lying about “terrorists” so you can strip our feedoms away. the media is a tool to lie to you. dont listen to anything they tell you on TV its all propaganda to go to war. thge afgan war was fought over opium and lithium for cellphone batteries. not to mention that afganistan has strains of wheat that are indiginious only to that portion of the world, they want to stamp it out and put there monsanto brand seeds in the ground. seriously if your not seeing whats going on in our country maybe your the one that needs to kill themselves.
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