New research shows a Florida law requiring welfare seekers to pass a drug test has had no effect on the number of welfare applications and has actually cost the government tens of thousands of dollars. Over a four-month period when the law was in effect, only 2.6 percent of Florida applicants actually failed the tests. The most common reason for failure was marijuana use. Proponents of the law had argued it would save the state money. But data obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union shows the state paid more than $118,000 for the tests, which the group said was nearly $46,000 more than it would have spent on welfare benefits for those who were disqualified by the tests. Another document shows the drug testing requirement had no impact on the number of people on welfare. The ACLU sued the state of Florida over the drug tests last year, and a judge temporarily halted the law in October, saying it would likely be deemed unconstitutional. Earlier this week, Georgia enacted a similar law requiring drug tests for welfare.