To answer this question, is as much political wildfire as addressing gay or abortion issues. To be foolish enough to answer this question, without some thought, could doom the career of nearly any political candidate, in an instant.
So here goes! I do believe big brother, is getting his hands into our homes, just a little too much. On one hand, it is safe to say, if you aren't working, at some thing to better yourself, you just won't. If you are trying to get a job in the open market, just go drug free, until you get a job.
I do not want to seem hard or callus, for I have walked the road of prior addiction. Even cigarette smoking is an addiction nearly equal to the effects of heroine withdrawal, but when asking the tax payer, to flip the bill, isn't it simply time to put down the pipe, at least until you get on your feet?
Should we tree hug, out to the ninth degree, and say they have a right to use our money to provide for the habit, that lowers performance levels below what is employable?
I believe in certain medical uses for marijuana, but if they are impaired beyond their ability to perform, then they should seek a job, that doesn't require urgency.
Should the public pay for habits with no merit or benefit? Of course not. Should we pay for a crack addict, to drive a tractor trailer truck? of course not. Should we give the position of race car driver, to a person who takes metha amphetimines? I do not think it wise.
I do believe in the persons right to ask for the help needed to stabilize themselves. That right should be given freely to the person who needs the help, once. If for some reason, that person fails to learn to participate in a beneficial manner, They should loose there benefits. If on the second time they come to ask for the help. They should be allowed the help. But this time, they will be endebted the first and second costs of the two treatments. They must be under the eye of the big brother paying their way this time. They must repay the system before their freedom is granted. They should be given a clear chance to work for minimum wage, if they are unskilled. If they learn or have a skill, they should have the ability to work in their field.
If at this time, they are released and the problems persist, they should work under big brother. They should be in a structured environment until they just learn the necessary skill to make money, work ethic.
This should not be imposed on the family paying the bill. These people may be taking drugs, but they are free and have work ethics, and produce more in society than they take. Big brother's only right there, should only be to insure protection to these people. and not the people taking a free lunch.
Services are for the people who get sick. services are for young parents, who do not yet have the skills to provide a good home. Services should be to teach, not to preach. But if the current services system continues to be abused, and to allow the abuse that we all see, to continue, this entire system is going to fall.
This is the poors fault as much as it is the fault of the filthy rich. Both are exploiters. Both are takers. The only people who pay, are the workers.