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

President Reagan signed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 on October 27, 1986, establishing mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses and creating the notorious 100-to-1 sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine. A person caught with 5 grams of crack received the same mandatory 5-year sentence as someone with 500 grams of powder cocaine. First Lady Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" campaign dominated public messaging, framing drug use as a moral failure rather than a public health issue.