Florida has a drug testing policy and it's an utter disgrace with just around 3% testing positive.
Three percent. Far lesser than the expected average. And at what cost?
Nearly two years later, the New York Times released the most comprehensive data yet on how the law fared.
In the four months that Florida’s law was in place, the state drug-tested 4,086 TANF applicants. A mere 108 individuals – 2.6 percent – tested positive. This is much lower than the 8.13 percent of all Floridians, age 12 and up, estimated by the federal government to use illegal drugs. This was in direct conflict with the argument made by Gov. Rick Scott, who said the law was necessary because welfare recipients used drugs at a higher rate than the general population.
The absurdity of this law is magnified when you realize how much it cost the state to run this program. Florida spent $118,140 reimbursing the 3,938 TANF applicants who tested negative for drugs. That is far more than any money saved by the program. And that’s only part of the cost to the state to run this program. There are also the administrative costs, staff costs, and, of course, the litigation costs. Furthermore, the testing program didn’t deter individuals from applying for help.
Drug testing only benefits drug testing companies and saves no one money. Ever. Anywhere.
How about we make lawmakers pass random drug tests first
