You(OP) personally do not support the drug habits of others. You made it sound like you personally go and pay for their drugs. You don't.

I don't like your figures either, I live in the UK, which is far more socialist than the US. I am currently on benefits, there is no work where I live and I have no money to move. It kills me, I have a degree and it is useless and claiming benefits is the most undignified thing I have ever done. I feel like a crook, but I need help. Eventually I will get a job, a good one and will pay it all back.

Anyhoo, my benefits work out at around £2800 P/A (although I haven't been claming for that long). I live with my mum, and am under 25 so get less. Even still, the top amount is not much. I find it hard to believe that in the much more conservative USA, unemployed people get the amounts you cited.

I know that if I were to get drug tested, I would feel personally offended. Yes, I am grateful for assistance, but it is already undignified and shameful enough without being suspected of being a druggy. So you need to ask, is the problem widespread enough to justify this? I know most of you won't agree with this angle, people on handouts aren't proper people (employment is the entire point of life, so having none renders your life meaningless and without value, like mines) and you will have to forgive them if they wish to be considered human, like it or not it is a trait we all share.

This will not hurt dealers. If anything it will mostly hurt users, people who tend to be at the bottom of the heap. Hurting them to hurt dealers is just cruel. Just because people take illegal drugs doesn't mean they should be punished. I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of addicts have some serious issues and may be self medicating on the harder but cheaper stuff. When you hit rock bottom and are in the gutter, it can be very hard to pull yourself out. Drug testing won't make it any easier, and in my opinion the whole point of welfare is to help people so they can eventually learn to help themselves, reducing the need for welfare.