Should we allow drug testing for low-income food stamp recipients?

An Associated Press article on ABC News said a House Republican is renewing a GOP push to allow drug tests for low-income food stamp recipients, which is meant help states like Wisconsin.

The measure would allow states to choose whether to allow the drug testing. Alabama Republican Robert Aderholt said it’s common sense to create drug programs for those who need help and that this is a compassionate way to help those who are having issues.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the drug testing would be intrusive and ineffective. The article said the legislation would find savings — and cut benefits for some recipients — by making it harder for people to become automatically eligible for food stamps.

Members of the Spectator editorial board expressed concerns over the effectiveness of this law. Some said they understand why taxpayers do not want to be giving someone grocery money when that person could be spending money on drugs but don’t believe limiting food stamps is the answer.

“What they need for them to stop doing drugs is not disallowing them from food,” one member said. “it’s giving them the right kind of health care they need.”

The article said the estimated savings for this legislation is around $1.2 billion, with about half of that awarded to states for drug treatment programs. Members of the editorial board said they don’t believe people will turn to drug treatment programs due to lack of food stamps.

Others mentioned that food stamps do not just go to the beneficiary, however, but to children as well and that it’s important to keep them in mind, they said.

“It just seems like it’s limiting people to being able to survive because you need food to live,” another member said. “Regardless of whether they have a problem of abusing drugs or not, it’s something they should receive help for.”

The editorial board voted unanimously against this proposed legislation.