Why would we risk a human life because of of our stereotyped images of the drug addict or welfare queen?
“The idea that the welfare rolls are filled with people who are dependent on illicit drugs, there’s no evidence to support that that I know of,” said Harold Pollack, a University of Chicago professor who has spent years studying the topic. “It concerns me that it feeds into a very stigmatizing set of stereotypes and expectations about welfare recipients that can be quite harmful.”
That’s what Emily Badger reported in Miller-McCune February 25. I can’t remember a time when the evidence from the research so clearly contradicted a congressman’s–Orrin Hatch’s–argument for changing a law that could affect public health.
“This amendment is a way to help people get off of drugs to become productive and healthy members of society, while ensuring that valuable taxpayer dollars aren’t wasted,” the Utah Republican said at the time. His two-pronged argument, since repeated by others, suggests public assistance is “wasted” on drug abusers, even as public assistance programs could be used to identify and help them.
Lost in the discussion–and a topic I would like to see researched–is the question of how many drug users do not seek treatment because they fear they might lose what meager benefits they now get.
Paul Statt Communications 