Scott, for example, claimed that drug abuse was "much higher" in welfare recipients. In fact, the rate was 2%, compared to 9.4% in the general population.
Low rates of drug use have been shown in multiple states besides Florida, including only 1/800 welfare recipients in Tennessee, vs. 8% in the general population. Similarly, Utah found 0.2 percent of the total welfare recipient population positive, vs. 6% of the population who admitted to using drugs.
The rate of drug use in the US among full-time workers averaged 9.5%, according to the government's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). . . .
As I explained in 2013, "Estimates of accuracy of the drug tests are < 1% for false positive confirmatory tests, and perhaps 5% false negatives, due to where the thresholds are commonly set. Using this as an example, and an 8% drug usage rate, we would get, in a 1000 tested workers: [see chart at link}
4 people will be reported "clean," a false negative, though they use drugs.
Of 920 who did not use drugs, 1%, or ~9 people will show up as positive.
Of 85 people who test positive, 9/85, or 10.6% will erroneously be identified as drug users. So while 1% error rate (false positive) sounds good, 10% of the positives will be false."
Many drugs can cause false positive results, including ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), cold or hay fever remedies, or quinolone antibiotics, for example.
