Those that receive Calfresh, or food stamps, and cash aid benefits should not be submitted to a drug test as a requirement to receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

Testing people would only cost the taxpayers more money and also there are too many governmental welfare branches to try to test every one who’s in some type of temporary assistance program.

The Calfresh program is a monthly benefit for low income families to support them with food or cash aid to keep them strong and healthy.

Welfare programs started in the 1930s during the Great Depression. These programs were created by the U.S. government to provide aid to those in need or who had no income. It stayed in control of the federal government for 61 years and then it was passed to the states.

During the Great Depression, Americans were not happy, stating that people were abusing the system and were not applying for work to remain on welfare benefits.

As of today, there are some Americans who feel the same, and say they shouldn’t be taxed to support programs for people who don’t wish to work.  Many people continue to argue about drug testing them.

If as taxpayers you want to save money, testing every resident would cost the state thousands of dollars more just to catch one drug abuser, according to an article “Should Welfare Recipients Be Drug Tested” by Jonathan Walters.

There are many state programs: Women, Infants and Children, for food and  nutritional services for pregnant women and children under 5 years of age; Medi-Cal, for health insurance; Calfresh, for food stamps; Cash Aid, for cash money;  Section 8, for housing vouchers; and Supportive Services for child care assistance. These are some of many that fall into the welfare category.

Testing only those who receive food stamps or cash aid wouldn’t make sense not to drug test the rest.

I can’t agree with anyone who says that once you used drugs you can’t stop. How about those who never used and suddenly start using them? Testing them once won’t mean they will remain clean. Plus, it’s not like people in need could become wealthy through these programs.

Would it make any sense to drug test a 24-year-old with four kids and not a 85-year-old receiving cash aid and Medicare? There’s really no difference, the funds all come from the same grants.

Many people assume that people who live partially or completely on welfare programs live in poverty areas. According to a New York Times article “Poverty in America Is Mainstream,” those living in poverty at some point use food stamps.

But there are statistics that people who receive any TANF benefits do use those benefits for what it assigned. After president Clinton signed the welfare reform, people are  looking for work and don’t stay on welfare more than 5 years, according to the reform law.

If there are people who cheat the system, drug testing them will not solve the problem, neither would it save taxpayers money. So why test them?