You may also have to lower lower expectations.
When all of you applicants have more tats than you like to see, and most have some kind of drug history, you can either raise wages to an absurd level, or accept lower quality workers.
The wage one must pay to find an acceptable worker for a job is called a “market wage”, which by definition is not only not absurd but has a greater claim to be just and correct compensation than any other figure.
Supply and demand. If you are looking for something in short supply you must pay more than if you are looking for something plentiful.
While your at it, why not insist that every applicant for your crap pay job be Hollywood model beautiful and a former missionary?