Judge blocks Fla.'s new welfare drug testing law

[democracy1st]

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge temporarily blocked Florida's new law that requires welfare applicants to pass a drug test before receiving benefits on Monday, saying it may violate the Constitution's ban on unreasonable searches and seizures.

Judge Mary Scriven ruled in response to a lawsuit filed on behalf of a 35-year-old Navy veteran and single father who sought the benefits while finishing his college degree, but refused to take the test. The judge said there was a good chance plaintiff Luis Lebron would succeed in his challenge to the law based on the Fourth Amendment, which protects individuals from being unfairly searched.

The drug test can reveal a host of private medical facts about the individual, Scriven wrote, adding that she found it "troubling" that the drug tests are not kept confidential like medical records. The results can also be shared with law enforcement officers and a drug abuse hotline.

http://news.yahoo.com/judge-blocks-fla-welfare-drug-testing-law-192910417.html

[HopeHoops]

1. One of the handful of local school districts that does random tests decided to stop them this year.

They cost a SHITLOAD of money and have not resulted in many positive hits.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

2. Good!!! Thanks for posting this! nt

[Bragi]

3. Wow, a bit of good news!

Good to hear.

[DirkGently]

4. Heard that. Nice bit of sanity amongst the Rick Scott crazy down here.

[Warpy]

5. That's something the drug warriors really hate to admit

that even with recreational drugs widely and easily available (although expensive on the black market), most people would rather have clear heads.

The rest have no trouble getting their drugs, only paying for them.

This is why the drug war is so widely supported and why it's a massive flop when cops and corporations go on fishing expeditions to catch drug users in the larger population.