CHARLESTON, WV - A West Virginia lawmaker thinks people on public assistance should pass a drug test before cashing in.

Under Delegate Craig Blair's (R - Berkeley County) bill, anyone who collects welfare, food stamps, or unemployment could be randomly tested.

If they test positive for illegal drugs, they have two months to clean up their act.

If they fail a second test, they're cut off from all help for two years.

Blair says drug users are abusing the public assistance system in West Virginia.

He explained, "If they're truly addicted to drugs and in need, we want to be able to help them, and this gives them the incentive to help them do it.  Nothing else has worked so far."

Opponents of the bill say the testing makes a person's private matters public, and exposing their problems may keep them from getting help.