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The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 19, 2009

Drug-Testing Scheme

Regarding "Jobless Benefits Drug Test Proposed," Metro, March 17:

Sen. Mike Bennett's proposal to randomly drug test unemployment recipients is preposterous. To receive unemployment benefits you have to have worked so many quarters, lost a job through no fault of your own and be actively seeking unemployment. If a person is actively seeking employment, they are subject to being drug tested anyway. Why go through the expense?

I'm not sticking up for drug users, but I'm pretty sure 99 percent of people currently collecting benefits, including me, are spending the lowly sum on bills, food, gas, clothing, etc., not drugs. I don't consider unemployment compensation to be a "government handout" and believe there are other programs where drug testing should occur.

Maybe some of Bennett's cohorts run a drug-testing lab. What other reason would someone have for growing government expenses in an already down economy?

RANDELL PETERSON

Tampa

What About Welfare?

Sen. Mike Bennett, I have been a taxpayer for 45 years; I was a firefighter for 26 years. We took drug tests yearly. I am retired now and thankful I never needed to collect unemployment. You have a lot of nerve and a lack of compassion. These people have lost their jobs mainly because you and the other elected officials we put our trust in are failing miserably.

Why is it that every government assistance program gets challenged except welfare? Welfare used to be temporary until the person got back on their feet. When did it change into a lifestyle?

JOHN SALGADO

Lutz

Expand Testing Proposal

This is only the tip of the iceberg. We need to expand drug testing to those receiving any kind of government assistance - food stamps, Medicaid, WIC, etc. This will eliminate the problem children of this great society.

I believe that the food stamp program needs another major overhaul as well. It should be required that all food stamp-eligible stores/markets use the optical scanner when ringing up groceries. Doing this would further cut down on the use of food stamp/Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards for purchasing beer, lotto cards, lotto scratch-offs and other nonfood-stamp-qualified purchases.

I get tired of buying baloney and someone else purchases a steak and potato chips with an EBT card. I work 40-plus hours per week and pay my bills. Get back to basics!

THOMAS E. STEWART

Tampa

Deterrent To Drug Use

The article about the proposed drug testing is wonderful; however, the proposal does not go far enough. All recipients of state and/or federal largesse in whatever form should absolutely be drug-tested. Why hasn't this requirement been in place during the last 10 years or more?

Apparently, Bill Janes, director of the Office of Drug Control, isn't doing a great job if he feels testing would do nothing to reduce the ranks of the addicted. Janes should be supporting any bill that would further deter folks from using drugs, especially when it hits them in their pocketbooks and they can't use taxpayer largesse to purchase them.

JUNE AMBROSE

Plant City

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