Gov. Scott Walker joined 10 other Republican governors April 13 in asking Congress to give states the ability to test food stamp recipients for drug use. Walker has been anointed the leader of this group, a group based in misconceptions and illogical ideas.
Walker looks to implement drug test requirements for food stamp recipients
Currently, states can decide if they want to drug test recipients of the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, but not for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The difference between SNAP and TANF is TANF provides cash to families for necessities, which includes playing bills, utilities and groceries. SNAP strictly supplements food for families.
And SNAP recipients, if Walker and the other governors are successful, would be able to be tested by states too.
Seven states, at this point in time, drug test TANF recipients. The success rate at finding drug users varies from .002 percent to 8.3 percent, well under the national drug rate use of 9.4 percent. Designed to save money and help refer people to treatment, this testing did neither. A study of Florida’s TANF drug testing has not helped to refer people to treatment, and every state is a testament to the outrageous costs of these programs for how little they succeed.
Odds are doing the same thing for SNAP will yield the same results as drug testing for TANF. It’ll be a colossal waste of resources and time.
Given these facts, Walker’s comments on the benefits of drug testing SNAP recipients seem out-of-touch with reality.
“Programs like SNAP typically require job training as a condition to receive benefits, and implementing drug-testing requirements as well makes it easier for recipients with substance abuse to move from government dependence to true independence,” Walker said in a statement last week.
Since people with substance abuse problems are not being referred to treatment under TANF laws, logic dictates the same will happen with SNAP. This doesn’t give independence; rather it is another burden for the marginalized poor.
Aaron Reilly ([email protected]) is a freshman majoring in social work and economics.
