It is almost impossible today to be considered for a job in any field without first taking a drug test. I worked for 20 years in an industry where not only was a drug test required before being hired, but for many of those years, there was a mandatory requirement to participate in a random drug screening program.

So, if it is a requirement to be drug free in order to get a job, why not impose that same requirement on those who live off of the taxes of those who are working? It seems perfectly logical to me that drug testing should be mandatory for those receiving welfare. The purpose of welfare is to provide persons in need with the necessities to maintain life, not to maintain a lifestyle.

If welfare recipients have money to spend on drugs, then they should not be permitted to continue to receive welfare. If we required welfare recipients to be drug free, this would remove one impediment to their becoming employable.

-- GERALD SORENSEN, Richland