Drug Abuse

Should food stamp recipients in Missouri be drug tested? Over the last few years debates have been held and arguments made on both sides of this issue. Many claim it violates the civil rights of the recipients while others claim many in the welfare system are on drugs and part of the bigger social addiction problem, while being compensated and not contributing productively to their own survival.

Missouri legislatures are working to implement such laws as are a number of other states like Oregon, Kentucky, New Hampshire and Nebraska. While the purpose of the food stamps is the help needy families get on their feet is good and many using the system do so legitimately, others with addiction problems abuse the system, taxing the system and depriving others who desperately need and deserve help.

As it stands people in the workforce, earning income and paying the taxes that support the food stamp programs are subject to random drug tests as should those who receive benefits. Many civil liberties unions claim that drug testing relies on unproven stereotypes about those that do receive assistance and being on drugs. Of course this is not the case, however many addicts do abuse the system and it is a safeguard for Missouri taxpayers and the children of the recipients.

Still Civil rights activists argue that testing is not cost effective and I beg to differ. The burden of substance abuse and addiction in Missouri is staggering with the expense to state government at .3 billion annually with costs passed onto Missouri taxpayers around billion. The burden of substance abuse and addiction to Missouri’s state government is on the criminal justice and education systems.  As it stands now the Missouri state government spends more money dealing with the burdens of substance abuse than on its prevention or treatment efforts.

Roughly ten percent of the population (475,000) needs a drug rehab in Missouri. Nearly one million Missourians were using food stamps, which is more than one-sixth of the state’s population as January 2009.  The average cost to treat a substance addicted individual is ,346 vs. a ,300 cost to society not to provide drug addiction treatment.

The has been a steady increase in food stamp applicants since 1999 which drastically increased in 2008, according to a January 2009 report from the Missouri Department of Social Services. There are approximately 100,000 food stamp recipients with a substance abuse problem which makes up over 20% of the addicted population in Missouri.

Missouri drug rehabs are full of people who are burdening friends or family who at times eventually give up. This sends the addict into the arms of social services and onto the funded programs. Curbing addiction with preventive measures by asking someone to be employable, responsible and deserving of help should be encouraged. On average drug addicts and alcoholics have substance abuse and addiction problems well over a decade before seeking or being coerced into treatme

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Former First Lady betty Ford has died at the age of 93 and will be remembered not only for her years in the White House, but for her fight on behalf of millions who struggled with drug addiction.
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Former US First Lady Betty Ford, the widow of former President Gerald Ford and founder of drug treatment facility the Betty Ford Center, has died at the age of 93.
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