To employ an old metaphor, only those led to the water but refusing to drink would be disciplined. Figure 1 Costs Opponents claim that the cost of the program would bankrupt the state. This argument s credibility rests on including the costs of screening and the costs of treatment together. 4 Treatment, it is true, is pricey. But it is not central to this discussion.
Opponents claim that there can never be enough treatment slots for all welfare recipients.
This may well be the case. But it is not terribly relevant. If no applicant were ever mandatorily referred for treatment, the situation would not differ much from the current state of affairs. It is the screening component that is vital. For it is the proposal s deterrent effect that is of interest to conservatives.