Reagan War On Drugs Review

Who was the FIRST president to declare a “War On Drugs” and call drugs ‘public enemy number one’?

• Dwight D. Eisenhower

• Richard Nixon

• George H.W. Bush

• Ronald Reagan

What was the name of the law that was passed in 1986 that aimed to reduce the impact of drugs on Americans?

• Anti-Drug Abuse Act

• Defying Drugs Deterrent Act

• Policing Pot Referendum

• “Cocaine-Crack” Control Act

What were the goals of the 1986 Anti-Drug Abuse Act?

• Provide free treatment and recovery programs for addicts

• Redefine drug addiction as a public health issue and not a criminal issue

• Maximize penalties and incarcerations for drug offenders in an effort to deter individuals from using or dealing drugs.

• Use the death penalty for drug dealers just as it would for other felons with violent crimes.

The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 led to....

• $1.7 billion dollars dedicated to fight the war on drugs

• Led to the multi-media campaign of "Just Say No"

• Led to mandatory minimum prison sentences for possessing drugs.

• All of these were a result of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986

Which of the following describes some of the reasons why people thought the War on Drugs was not fair?

• Inner-city communities benefited with increased social services and rehabilitation

• Police brutality was on the rise as law enforcement became equipped with new weapons

• Powder cocaine carried a longer prison sentence than crack cocaine.

• More money was being spent on building treatment centers than prisons

Political leaders argued that the War On Drugs was a success. What information did they use to make this claim? (READ ALL ANSWERS BEFORE CHOOSING!)

• The federal drug enforcement agencies were seizing record amounts of drugs and weapons.

• More people were being arrested and put in jail for drug charges than at any time in U.S. History

• The "Just Say No" media campaign was having an impact on American youth and was lowering their rates of drug use.

• Reagan and his supporters argued that all of these things were evidence of the success of the War On Drugs.

Which of the following was true about prison sentences during the War on Drugs

• People arrested for drug possession were given opportunities for early release

• Non-violent drug offenses (like possession, etc.) often resulted in longer prison sentences than many violent offenses (rape, assault, etc.)

• Rehabilitation was commonly used in place of prison time for drug offenses.

• Sentences for violent crime and non-violent crime were equal in length

When did the War on Drugs officially end?

• 1970s

• 1980s

• 1990s

• It's still going on today

Which of the following can be said about the War on Drugs in the 1980s?

• The War on Drugs was successful due to the "Just Say No" campaign

• The War on Drugs ended in the year 1990

• The War on Drugs was very expensive and cost cities lots of money

• Due to the War on Drugs, the government spent more money for services like drug rehabilitation, child care, schools, libraries, and parks.

Which of the following was NOT true about the results of the War on Drugs?

• The "War on Drugs" led to an explosion in the number of incarcerations (people going to prison) in the U.S.

• More white users of crack cocaine were arrested more than people of color in the 1980s.

• A disproportionate (unfair percentage) of people of color were given mandatory long prison sentences for minor drug crimes.

• Drug use has not really changed since the War on Drugs started in the 1970s.