Mississippi Starts Drug Testing Those Receiving Government Assistance

17 Mar, 2014 by John Hawkins

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If we’re going to ask the American people to give their hard earned dollars to people in need, then we have a responsibility to make sure that money is well spent. It shouldn’t be a long-term proposition, it should be going to people who are genuinely in need and it shouldn’t be going to junkies.

It looks like Mississippi is taking the right steps to reducing fraud when it comes to government assistance. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) will now require new applicants to submit a questionnaire that will evaluate the likelihood of substance abuse.

Residents who apply for this temporary assistance from the state will have to submit to drug testing if the state deems they are likely substance abusers from this questionnaire. Testing positive once would require a TANF recipient to undergo treatment for substance abuse. For testing positive a second time, the recipient would be kicked out of the program for 90 days. A third positive result would remove the recipient for up to a year.

Governor Bryant said, “The TANF program is a safety net for families in need, and adding this screening process will aid adults who are trapped in a dependency lifestyle so they can better provide for their children.” The state will be using federal funds earmarked for TANF to administer the questionnaires and testing. They estimate the cost of testing will be only $36,000 each year.

You want to get high? Then go get high on your own dime, not on charity given to you by the taxpayers.

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