While we’re at it, test elected officials for drug use

Last year Florida Governor Rick Scott signed into law a disturbing bill that requires all persons who apply for welfare in the state to undergo drug testing. The results, as reported by The Miami Herald yesterday, concluded: “Required drug tests for people seeking welfare benefits ended up costing taxpayers more than it saved and failed to curb the number of prospective applicants.”

When this law was first introduced I wrote that I found it offensive and prejudiced. I cited a national study, which demonstrated that at least 8% of Americans at one time or another had used or use drugs. The drug of choice of most being marijuana. Now we see that result of the Florida effort to go after drug users seeking welfare spew out that only 108 of 4,086 people who took the drug test failed. That’s 2.6 percent. Way below the national average of drug users.

Didn’t the governor and the mostly republican state legislature consider the fact that these folks seeking help, even if they were drug users (which studies now prove most are not), could not afford them?

The cost to us for this prejudicial law: $118,140 to reimburse people for taking the test at a net loss of more than $45,000.

The Herald article went on to quote law sponsor Rep. Jimmie Smith (R-Lecanto), who said, “It’s not about money, it’s about the drug issue. … It’s about using every tool we have in the toolbox to fight drugs.”

And as I wrote back then about this issue: If our governor and our politicians are so worried about drug use by persons receiving government money… then it’s only fair to include all persons who are paid by any local, state or federal government entity. Let’s start with elected officials. I say line up and start peeing. I would bet the percentage of drug users would be higher than 2.6%.

As for government employees, let’s also include all members of police forces. We can also check for steroids while we’re at it.

Alvaro F. Fernandez