An argument against drug testing welfare recipients

Mary Jean Walker, James Franklin

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

    1 Citation (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Programs of drug testing welfare recipients are increasingly common in US states and have been considered elsewhere. Though often intensely debated, such programs are complicated to evaluate because their aims are ambiguous—aims like saving money may be in tension with aims like referring people to treatment. We assess such programs using a proportionality approach, which requires that for ethical acceptability a practice must be reasonably likely to meet its aims, sufficiently important in purpose as to outweigh harms incurred, and lower in costs than feasible alternatives. In the light of empirical findings, we argue that the programs fail the three requirements. Pursuing recreational drug users is not important in the light of costs incurred, while dependent users who may require referral are usually identifiable without testing and typically need a broader approach than one focussing on drugs. Drug testing of welfare recipients is therefore not ethically acceptable policy.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)309-340
    Number of pages32
    JournalKennedy Institute of Ethics Journal
    Volume28
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2018

    Scopus Subject Areas

    • Issues, ethics and legal aspects
    • Health(social science)
    • Health Policy
    • History and Philosophy of Science

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