States consider drug tests for welfare recipients

Nobody should be made to take a drug test. Nobody should be made to pay for somebody else via welfare. There are two wrongs here both backed up by the threat of government violence against you. Ideologic inconsistencies abound...but it is designed that way to keep people arguing right vs left, sigh.

Solution - Get rid of any government that thinks it owns your body or the fruit of your labor...problem solved.

Rob Roy said:

Nobody should be made to take a drug test. Nobody should be made to pay for somebody else via welfare. There are two wrongs here both backed up by the threat of government violence against you. Ideologic inconsistencies abound...but it is designed that way to keep people arguing right vs left, sigh.

Solution - Get rid of any government that thinks it owns your body or the fruit of your labor...problem solved.

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I agree. Well said. + rep.

Well said Rob.

I always thought of drug tests as invasion of privacy and illegal search. You ARE being forced to incriminate yourself in essence aren't you? Even our most basic rights are against self incrimination..ever been read your Miranda RIGHTS? Government tries to legislate morality, people who do drugs are mostly just trying to get away from all the stresses of Real Life for a little while. Most do not become hardened criminal addicts. Are drugs good? no, but they also aren't bad either, its all in the user and gov't should never try to force someones behavior, although they try it ALL the time. Kids today are all on drugs as soon as they go to school, so many are taking Ritalin its FUCKING RIDICULOUS. Its behavior modification sponsored by the Government through the Department of Education on your own kids. When I was growing up and went to school not 1 kid was on ritalin and most of us turned out ok, now a days 20-30% of kids are forced to take behavior modifying drugs because they act too much like ...KIDS.

rant off.

Very well put Nodrama, I really think that all the pharmaceuticals out there are a much bigger problem then weed ever could be. Kids are getting put on them by their parents, which then makes it ok in their minds to start taking other ones. Pills have become a HUGE problem in the last several years, and its only getting worse.


Back on topic, I'm in a hard spot right now until my grow finishs, and me and my GF are about to have a kid. We are trying to get food stamps just to help out. I'm employed full time, but don't make that much money. I'd be pissed if they told us we had to take a piss test just to get help for the next 6 months.

Thundercat said:

Very well put Nodrama, I really think that all the pharmaceuticals out there are a much bigger problem then weed ever could be. Kids are getting put on them by their parents, which then makes it ok in their minds to start taking other ones. Pills have become a HUGE problem in the last several years, and its only getting worse.


Back on topic, I'm in a hard spot right now until my grow finishs, and me and my GF are about to have a kid. We are trying to get food stamps just to help out. I'm employed full time, but don't make that much money. I'd be pissed if they told us we had to take a piss test just to get help for the next 6 months.

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Well, why not have your girlfriend apply for the food stamps? I mean, she's pregnant and not smoking weed during the pregnancy, right?

Uhhh ... right??

Vi

She did apply for the stamps, and she has cut back during pregnancy. When we found out she was pregnant we did alot of research, and found no negative effects to using marijuana during pregnancy. The actual smoking would be the only negative aspect, which is why she has cut back on her consumption. It has prevented her from having morning sickness, and helps with stress. Jamaican women have been doing this for years, to help with pregnancy. We know its not the greatest thing in the world, but it shouldn't be an issue either. She did stop smoking cigarettes, for good, as soon as she found out she was pregnant!!

I don't think MJ will have any effect on the fetus, it is after all considered the safest drug known to man, safer than aspirin. I know lots of pregnant women who have used aspirin.

I am divided on this topic because I have seen the people who honestly need the help because of one reason or the other, but I have also seen the lowlife scum who are just taking advantage of the system.

My wife is a call nurse for a large Home Healthcare company and she tells me some seriously crazy ass stories about people on Medicare and Medicaid. She comes home constantly bitching about her patients that have been bleeding the system dry because they do not help themselves get better. I'm talking about extremely obese people who who make every excuse as to why they can't exercise or even go on a diet. Stories of obvious drug addicts who spend their welfare on drugs and trade their food stamps for money to get drugs.

I can see the point of these government officials trying to enforce a drug test on welfare recipients but is it really going to help the problem? What happens if they get kicked off the program? I guess they will resort to steeling, dealing hard drugs, or any other illegal activity that can make them a quick buck.

I honestly get ENRAGED when I think about some of these people who I see on welfare. I have worked my ass off all my life, have had several jobs at a time, and have had stints where I had to work over 100 hours a week just to get by and pay my bills. I have also had to Hock my stuff at the pawn shop just to have electricity for the month. So I start thinking to myself, "If I can do it, then why can't these people"? I guarantee when It comes time for me to enter retirement, there will be nothing left for me

In all honesty, I would love to see some of these lazy bastards who are basically spending "our" money get the boot from the free ride.

Then I think of what they will probably resort to to survive. It may look good on paper to test welfare recipients but the positives do not even come close to what the possible negatives could be. And some of you are absolutely right, Who in HELL is going to pay for this?

First and foremost, MJ should definitely NOT be on the list of "drugs." It is an herb.....period, point blank.
Secondly, the idea that the government would inflict yet NEW bogus charges---it wouldn't be cheap to test recipients on a regular basis--is preposterous.
Enough people have made the observation of how taking the benefits away would only serve to create even more havoc in one way or another.
Do you ever stop to think of just how much is spent on prescribing Medicaid patients completely unnecessary meds? Doctors write out RX's daily of muscle relaxants, pain killers, uppers, downers.....the list is endless. And they do so under the patients claim alone of needing it all too often. All of these medicines are either dangerous or addictive.
Oops......but they are not drugs, they are legally prescribed "medications". Pfft.

Babs34 said:

First and foremost, MJ should definitely NOT be on the list of "drugs." It is an herb.....period, point blank.
Secondly, the idea that the government would inflict yet NEW bogus charges---it wouldn't be cheap to test recipients on a regular basis--is preposterous.
Enough people have made the observation of how taking the benefits away would only serve to create even more havoc in one way or another.
Do you ever stop to think of just how much is spent on prescribing Medicaid patients completely unnecessary meds? Doctors write out RX's daily of muscle relaxants, pain killers, uppers, downers.....the list is endless. And they do so under the patients claim alone of needing it all too often. All of these medicines are either dangerous or addictive.
Oops......but they are not drugs, they are legally prescribed "medications". Pfft.

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Yes, and the Coca Leaf grows on the plant, Opium grows in fields, and LSD is a byproduct of a Fungus, arguing that Pot is a natural product isn't a very cogent argument.

Arguing that it is an unadultered natural product is a better argument.

TheBrutalTruth said:

Yes, and the Coca Leaf grows on the plant, Opium grows in fields, and LSD is a byproduct of a Fungus, arguing that Pot is a natural product isn't a very cogent argument.

Arguing that it is an unadultered natural product is a better argument.

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Marijuana may be an unadulterated product, but the by-product, THC is and always has been a "Drug". Trying to cloud the issue with it's only an herb only tends to make ones arguement a bit weak. Many drugs are derived from herbs, plants or natural phenomenem. THC is just one of a long list of mind altering substances that come from the natural world.

medicineman said:

Marijuana may be an unadulterated product, but the by-product, THC is and always has been a "Drug". Trying to cloud the issue with it's only an herb only tends to make ones arguement a bit weak. Many drugs are derived from herbs, plants or natural phenomenem. THC is just one of a long list of mind altering substances that come from the natural world.

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Yes, but unlike Coca and Poppy there is no refining process to prepare Marijuana for consumption. Any one can take a marijuana leaf, dry it out, and then crush it and smoke it. In that way it is much like Pinon or any other nuts that you roast prior to eating (mostly for elimination of bacteria.)

Coca requires what is akin to an industrial process to refine it into Cocaine, as does Poppy for conversion into Heroin.

I'm not exactly sure about the process for LSD, but I'd imagine that there are other chemical residues left by the fungus that need to be filtered out, and thus to get from the residue to the finished product requires refining, perhaps with a centrifuge to separate the chemicals out.

:: shrugs ::

Though, yes, THC is the active component of Marijuana, but I have yet to hear of any one separating it for consumption with out Marijuana. Except in the case of a few pharmaceutical companies.

TheBrutalTruth said:

Yes, and the Coca Leaf grows on the plant, Opium grows in fields, and LSD is a byproduct of a Fungus, arguing that Pot is a natural product isn't a very cogent argument.

Arguing that it is an unadultered natural product is a better argument.

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Without elaborating, that was my point. Someone once told me that if you eat enough poppy seeds, you can test positive for heroin. I never researched the validity regarding that claim...yet heroin kills, whereas poppy seeds on a bagel are awesome and harmless. Imagine why the DEA wouldn't have a problem with advocating a pill with derivatives from MJ.....yet not its natural form. Even herbs such as cammomile are LEGAL, yet devastating for me. MJ proves to be an extremely beneficial "herb" for me---I'll pass on the DEA's version.

"herb"
. 1 a seed-producing annual, biennial, or perennial that does not develop persistent woody tissue but dies down at the end of a growing season
2. 2 a plant or plant part valued for its medicinal, savory, or aromatic qualities
3. 3 slang marijuana
Again, if camomile, among other "herbs" are dangerous for people like myself, WHY is MJ a "drug?" Many can use as a "natural" and "legal" substance to aid in calming the nerves and as a sleep inducement.
It just sounds so ugly to me to refer to a this plant as a "drug." People have varying affects from its use. The beneficial properties (in its natural source) FAR outweigh the dangers of "legal drugs."
It's just that simple.
"camomile"
1. 1 a perennial composite herb (Chamaemelum nobile syn. Anthemis nobilis) of Europe and North Africa with aromatic foliage and flower heads
2. 2 any of several composite plants (genera Matricaria and Anthemis) related to chamomile especially an annual Eurasian herb (M. recutita syn. M. chamomilla) naturalized in North America
3. 3 the dried flower heads of chamomile that are often used in making tea and that yield an essential oil possessing medicinal properties

So I'm not argueing the fact that marijuana is just an herb, but I'm curious what cammomile does to you that is so dangerous?

Babs34 said:

Without elaborating, that was my point. Someone once told me that if you eat enough poppy seeds, you can test positive for heroin. I never researched the validity regarding that claim...yet heroin kills, whereas poppy seeds on a bagel are awesome and harmless. Imagine why the DEA wouldn't have a problem with advocating a pill with derivatives from MJ.....yet not its natural form. Even herbs such as cammomile are LEGAL, yet devastating for me. MJ proves to be an extremely beneficial "herb" for me---I'll pass on the DEA's version.

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I've heard the same thing, and can imagine that has poppy seeds would contain the chemicals that are refined into heroin/opium that it is true.

Woo-hoo!

The land of the free indeed!

You poor fuckers.

As an englishman the US system of benefits has always intrigued me. For instance what are 'food stamps' can you just spend them like cash, I mean can you buy fags and booze?(oops as Iam asking americans perhaps I should say ciggs instead of fags )

An are americans as obsessed with drug testing as I read? Do you really get tested randomly in schools? what happens when you fail?

sorry for so many questions but I have always thought the US was a pretty cool country, now Iam changing my mind.

doktordoris said:

Woo-hoo!

The land of the free indeed!

You poor fuckers.

As an englishman the US system of benefits has always intrigued me. For instance what are 'food stamps' can you just spend them like cash, I mean can you buy fags and booze?(oops as Iam asking americans perhaps I should say ciggs instead of fags )

An are americans as obsessed with drug testing as I read? Do you really get tested randomly in schools? what happens when you fail?

sorry for so many questions but I have always thought the US was a pretty cool country, now Iam changing my mind.

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Food Stamps are typically a term applied to a EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) Card that allows for the purchase of food.

I don't think its possible to buy fags or booze with the EBT Card, though that might depend on the state. For instance in Mississipi or Missouri it is possible that booze is considered the staple part of a diet and thus it is possible to buy booze with the EBT Card.

As far as drug testing, I don't know about random drug testing in schools. I was never subjected to it, but I graduated 10 years ago.

As far as drug testing in corporations, only if you work for a fortune 500, or some corp with its head up its ass. For the most part companies only require drug testing if they are investigating theft/fraud, and you are a suspect, and even then they might just decided to cut their losses and fire you (in at will states) as opposed to jumping through all the legal hurdles required to build a criminal case against you.

Though right now I'm working at a company (small company only ~50 employees) and there's no drug testing, and there wasn't any when I was hired for my position.

There's not a lot of "government" cameras here but there are a growing number of "private" cameras. For the most part police are used to transport people to jail, and harass people for violating "civil" regulations as opposed to laws.