Well, we could either support them to live by themselves, in which case they will still have access to drugs and will likely choose to take them, at least occasionally.

Or we could drug test them, remove their benefits and send them to jail when they get arrested for selling drugs or stealing, where we can deprive them of their liberty, pay for all their accommodation, meals, electricity etc, as well as people to guard them. They may also choose to take drugs occasionally there as well.

I know what the least expensive option is, in both monetary and social terms. This moralistic sabre-rattling makes me want to puke.

Bugsy,
Don't get your knickers in a twist, Butch would know that there is no hope of his suggestion getting up.

We do not even make life difficult for foreigners who come here illegally, we welcome them give them all sorts of handouts including up to $10,000 to furnish a government supplied house. This has cost us about $5 billion over the last few years.

We also pay women to have kids, called a baby bonus, which just encourages young single girls to get pregnant and then we pay again for all these single mums. I would like to know how girls 'fall' pregnant, the pill was supposed to stop that and we do have the 'morning after' pill as well. They used to say that girls were ignorant about sex and pregnancy, but now there is sex education in schools which seems to be a waste of money if girls are still ignorant.

Nah, druggies are safe to continue their lifestyle, the taxpayer will go on paying for everything. We can't even keep drugs out of jails which are supposed to be a closed society. Nobody questions that.

Take it easy Bugsy, druggies are safe.

Your article should also include Alcoholics, I am not sure if it is still the same but few years ago people only had to have alcohol problems and they were paid unemployment benefits but did not have to look for work.
The cost of drugs is more than the dole payment so you need strong screens and security anyway.

There may be some collecting benefits who partake of drugs and exploit on the welfare system but a vast majority of recipients on welfare are genuine people actively looking for and wanting work.

Jobs just aren't out there for the amount of unemployed people actively looking and applying and it is getting worse every day.

Comments and aspersions that recipients of welfare benefits should all be drug tested is assisting governments to abolish the welfare system as they can see that the world has and is changing.

It is estimated that there are 400,000 homeless Australians throughout the land and the numbers are growing.

Anyone who works in the media and reports on these facts are sacked from their jobs for exposing what is occurring, the latest being Derryn Hinch.

I ask how many people making comments on this forum are unemployed and receive welfare benefits?

If you watch the news and currant affair programs on TV they always show the worst examples of recipients on welfare benefits and by doing it makes people think all recipients are useless bums, drunks, druggies etc. DIVIDE AND CONQUER Strategy.

Why does the government persist with the immigration scheme when there is high unemployment and a lack of affordable housing for the Australian people? This is adding to the unemployment lines and creating more homeless Australians.

I do not have a problem with being drug tested nor tested for booze because I don't partake in either nor do I gamble. But I do have concerns if my inalienable rights and civil liberties are encroached on.

It's time we all started looking at the bigger picture of what is taking place around us and not become a tool of the government to exploit us.

We must look at the actual facts and not innuendo's by the media and government. It is time we all woke up and researched what is the actual true picture.

Banjo Quote "druggies are safe" You are so wrong a druggy with no money needing a fix is extremely dangerous absolutely no regard for others.

Gypsy sorry to hear your plight, please do not take it out on Bugsy, he is on your side.
We should consider drug testing SOME bosses
The idea comes from a minority and we should be grateful.