At Least Eight States Have Already Considered Welfare Drug Tests This Year

by Seth Freed Wessler on February 7 2013, 4:26PM

In the first few weeks of the new legislative sessions, lawmakers in at least 8 states have proposed bills to impose drug tests on applicants to family safety net programs. Last year I reported that Republican state legislators went on…

Topics: /NOW Blog

10617 Comments

Georgia’s Political Cudgel Against the Poor: Drug Testing

by Seth Freed Wessler on July 10 2012, 9:49AM

Georgia followed Florida’s example in forcing safety-net recipients to get drug tests, despite the fact that neither law is likely to stand up in court. Why? Because actual policymaking was never the point.

Topics: Drug Tests, Economy, Politics

9496 Comments

Georgia Asks Employers to Rat Out Job Seekers Who Fail Drug Tests

by Seth Freed Wessler on June 5 2012, 9:25AM

The state’s one of several that’s using hyped up fears about drugs to weaken unemployment insurance programs.

Topics: Drug Tests, Economy

9287 Comments

Why Tea Party Lawmakers Are Trying to Conflate Poverty and Drug Addiction

by Seth Freed Wessler on May 7 2012, 10:07AM

Since 2010, a new meme has spread to dozens of states: Drug testing people who apply for safety net benefits. The goal is to change economic debates into a culture war over who does and does not deserve help.

Topics: ALEC, Drug Tests, Economy, Jobs Crisis, Politics

9092 Comments

NYT Report: Prosecuting Moms for Drug Use Is Personhood in Disguise

by Seth Freed Wessler on April 26 2012, 2:43PM

Legislators can easily conjure up stories, with accompanying stereotypes, about crack-addicted babies and their mothers, but what’s really behind the antagonism toward moms?

Topics: Criminal Justice, Gender & Sexuality, /NOW Blog, Personhood

9043 Comments

Georgia Governor Signs Welfare Drug Testing Bill Into Law

by Seth Freed Wessler on April 18 2012, 9:43AM

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal approved a bill on Monday evening that will soon require all applicants to the state cash assistance program to pass a drug test.

Topics: Jobs Crisis, /NOW Blog

8972 Comments

Deal Reached to Allow Drug Testing for Jobless Benefits

by Seth Freed Wessler on February 16 2012, 5:33PM

There goes your social safety net.

Topics: /NOW Blog

8505 Comments