(FL) Welfare drug-testing yields 2% positive results

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Tampa Bay Tribune

Since the state began testing welfare applicants for drugs in July, about 2 percent have tested positive, preliminary data shows.

Ninety-six percent proved to be drug free -- leaving the state on the hook to reimburse the cost of their tests.

The initiative may save the state a few dollars anyway, bearing out one of Gov. Rick Scott's arguments for implementing it. But the low test fail-rate undercuts another of his arguments: that people on welfare are more likely to use drugs.

At Scott's urging, the Legislature implemented the new requirement earlier this year that applicants for temporary cash assistance pass a drug test before collecting any benefits.



Read more: http://www2.tbo.com/news/politics/2011/aug/24/3/welfare-drug-testing-yields-2-percent-positive-res-ar-252458/

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Story mentions overall population illegal drug use is 8.7% so welfare recipients in FL far below.

[villager]

1. It's *both* government waste *and* government on peoples' backs!

From the Repubbies, that figures

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. They'll declare it a success, in spite of the facts. n/t

[SteveM]

3. Drug testing. Just culture war. nt

[HelenWheels]

4. Scott's wife owns clinic

that does this type of testing. I read that a few times. Any one know for certain if this is true?

[RamboLiberal]

6. He founded the company that got contract according to this

Update @ 6:45pm ET: Thanks to reader Vashti Brenda Fletchall for pointing out the another dimension to this story. Gov. Scott held economic interests in the drug testing company that was awarded the sole contract for drug testing. In April he sold his stock in the company he founded in 2001 for $62 million dollars, according to the Tampa Bay.

http://colorlines.com/archives/2011/08/98_of_florida_welfare_applicants_pass_newly_implemented_drug_tests_discrediting_governor.html#xdm_e=http%3A%2F%2Fcolorlines.com&xdm_c=default6339&xdm_p=1&

[bluestateguy]

5. Well that just shows we need to do more! Like fingerprinting welfare recipients!

nt

[saras]

7. So, we've demonstrated that welfare cures drug addiction.

At least if the statistical methods of the corporate media were used.

[alp227]

29. another theory: welfare recipients changed their drug habits b/c this rule

riiiiight...correlation does not equal causation. how many such people follow the news anyway or at least news besides reality TV and Casey Anthony?

[svpadgham]

8. We should test all recipients of subsidies.

I'm pretty sure Michelle Bachman is on something.

[RamboLiberal]

9. Governor Rick Scott promised drug testing people on welfare would save Florida 77 million dollars!

The savings?

•For the 2% of people who've failed so far: taxpayers have saved roughly $48,000 in welfare benefits.
•Minus the $44,000 spent on testing: taxpayer savings drops to just $4,000!

http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/article/207418/8/Welfare-drug-tests-costing-you-money

[Plucketeer]

12. Precious statistics!

I hope every delusional Floridian hears how GREAT their thievin' choice for governor is! Gotta be the intensive aggregation of dementia in that state! :crazy:

[RamboLiberal]

13. I calculated it will take 1604 years to save 77 M at that rate

[geomon666]

24. With privatized healthcare we'll live that long baby!!!! n/t

[roomfullofmirrors]

17. If you smoked weed and knew you were going to piss hot, would you even bother taking the test?

or would you go without using for the 30 days and then take the test like pot heads have been doing for decades? Furthermore, piss tests don't do a very good job of identifying users of hard drugs, like meth, coke, etc as they're half life in the body is much shorter than weed. Most meth heads can stay clean for the 3-5 days necessary to pass a piss test so the only people being caught are the poor pot heads that thought they waited long enough but didn't. If the state of Florida wanted to catch more users, and really save some dough, they should consider a randomized approach so users will have no time to "study for their test". Better yet, they should just collect hair follicle samples.

[BobbyBoring]

10. Here's the worst part

I am in a pain management program. Have been for years. Recently, they started testing to ensure all patients are taking their meds as prescribed and not doing blow and shit like that.

The test cost about $1,500.00. That's right folks, fifteen fucking hundred! That's probably more than many checks the welfare recipients get.

Make sense to me!

[NM Independent]

31. Doing the same thing to me, but it's "only" $600. It bills my insurance, but...

because of NM law I'm not liable for the charge. I haven't looked into it that much yet. I just got popped with a D/T at my last two visits to my doctor.

[rfranklin]

11. Test corporate CEOs and the numbers will be ten times that...

of course, in most cases, they will be addicted to prescription drugs, so no problema!

[valerief]

21. They're all heroin addicts. That's why they won't let go of Afghanistan. nt

[Drale]

14. You mean the right was wrong

AGAIN!?!?!???

[judesedit]

15. Since the governors, senators, reps, judges, pres get paid with our tax dollars...

THEY SHOULD BE TESTED TOO!....every time they expect a check from us. Fair is fair. I'll bet their legal and illegal drug use is much more prevalent...

[RamboLiberal]

16. Hah - you got that right!

[valerief]

26. If only there was justice. nt

[valerief]

18. He made $$$ of it and that's ALL THAT MATTERS.

:grr:

[Divine Discontent]

19. he is absolute SLEEZE. Digusting human being. This state has a stain on it with him as the gov.

He is even worse than Jeb! Tests brings money to his income, so he could care less if the taxpayers lose thousands a month on the tests.

There is some serious defect in the brain of our GOP friends, families, coworkers, etc, who support these people for office. I found him to be scary as hell from the beginning, and thought, surely, Alex Sink, would win. It's either there's something in the brain of most GOPers that doesn't have the ability to be creeped out by people like Slick Rick, or, they're stealing elections here (or a combination, I guess).

:mad:


http://www.cafepress.com/barackobama12

[valerief]

20. He's a bona fide felon, too. nt

[Divine Discontent]

25. yeah. that lil theft of millions of taxpayer dollars must not be a big deal to folks... nt

[quaker bill]

22. Habitual drug users

generally don't spend much time in government offices.

[BenzoDia]

23. I'll venture a guess that people with money are more likely to use drugs...

Y'know, because drugs aren't free.

[tpsbmam]

27. According to this found on a quick search, the general population is 6% have used in past 30 days...

"An estimated 12.8 million Americans, about 6 percent of the household population aged twelve and older, use illegal drugs on a current basis (within the past thirty days).... more than a third of all Americans twelve and older have tried an illicit drug."

Good going, assholes -- you outed those druggies! Bet those taxpayers are thrilled at your money-saving savvy!

:sarcasm: (just in case......)

:eyes:

[Igel]

28. "Newton said that's proof ..."

No, not at all.

The "experiment" alters the subject pool. It not only allows for self-selection, it biases drug uses to not apply and it allows for intentional confounds. We don't know the distribution of the subjects, if it's even random *before* self-selection occurs.

A recent NYT article about AGW-deniers pointed out that the most convincing of the deniers use true facts in their denial, but either fail at logic or pick their facts to support their position. I'd add that then that their followers cite them blindly, chortling at their limited range of facts and fairly paltry understanding and revelling in their outrage and confidence in their superior thinking skills and just plain superiority.

[alp227]

30. The figure would probably be higher if you drug tested Goldman Sachs' board of directors

or the US Congress
or the Fortune 500
or the Florida Legislature

[JesterCS]

32. considering Marijuana is the only

one that stays in your system for more than a few days, these tests are worthless. anyone can snort a line of coke, and be drug free in a day or two for a test