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Ronald Reagan

Presidency

What was the “War on Drugs”?

The War on Drugs was the catchphrase used by the Reagan administration to define their efforts to combat what many saw as a crack epidemic in the country—a drug that devastating many urban communities particularly. Reagan signed into law a 1986 criminal law that imposed mandatory minimums and created greater sentences for drug traffickers. First Lady Nancy Reagan participated actively in the fight against drugs with her national campaign: “Just Say No.”