The 1986 Anti-Drug Abuse Act created mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes

Evidence

The War on Drugs’ philosophy was codified into federal law. First, Congress enacted the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, which made money laundering a federal offense, allowed the deportation of “alien” drug traffickers, prohibited interstate commerce in drug paraphernalia, and established the death penalty for certain drug offenses. The hallmark of this Act, however, was the establishment of harsh mandatory minimum prison sentences for 149 Racial Disparities in Drug Sanctions drug distribution offenses. — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law, 1060