Reagan signs the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, creating the 100-to-1 crack disparity

President Reagan signed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, establishing a 100-to-1 sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine: 5 grams of crack triggered a 5-year mandatory minimum, while 500 grams of powder cocaine were required to trigger the same sentence. The legislation was driven by national panic following the June 19, 1986 death of basketball star Len Bias, who died of a cocaine overdose two days after being drafted by the Boston Celtics — though Bias used powder cocaine, not crack. The bill passed both chambers in six weeks; only 16 House members voted against it.