The Drug Abuse Act of 1986 was a policy introduced into legislation in the wake of public outcry over the death of University of Maryland basketball star Len Bias. The basketball star, who two days earlier had been chosen second overall in the NBA draft, died of cocaine intoxication. Ten years earlier, President Nixon had declared the “War on Drugs” in America. He hoped that propaganda and social encouragement would push America to change its perception of drugs. Going so far as to ask influential figures like Elvis Presley, who later died of an overdose, to help create a drug-free America (Deborah J. Vagins, 2006). During that time crack became a budding problem. The trade was known for the violence that accompanied it and began to attract the attention of the American public. Reagen secured the presidency by convincing American voters that he was tougher on drugs than challenger Walter Mondale (Federal Sentencing Reporter, 2011). In this changing America, the scandalous death of Len Bias became national news and frightened parents everywhere. They were told his death was the result of experimentation with cocaine. The Democrats at the time realized that this was a big problem and decided to strengthen their position. Eric Sterling, who served as counsel on the House committee that drafted the '86 bill, recalled that drug policy became "the sole focus of legislative activity for the remainder of the session on both sides of the aisle." . The Len Bias tragedy soon became the force behind every policy and press conference (EASLEY, 2011). Bias was a world class athlete with a clean record. There was no evidence that he had ever used cocaine before. The rhetoric soon became “drugs will kill you even if you try just one.” Sterling explained further: “Usually when... middle of paper.......EASLEY, J. (2011, June 19). The day the war on drugs really began. Retrieved from http://www.salon.com/: http://www.salon.com/2011/06/19/len_bias_cocaine_tragedy_still_affecting_us_drug_law/Federal Sentencing Reporter. (2011, June). Analysis of the impact of the change in legal sanctions for crack cocaine offenses made by the Fair Sentencing Act 2010. Law and legislation, pp. Vol. 23 Number 5, p345-360. 16p.LARKIN JR., P.J. (2014). CRACK COCAINE, CONGRESSIONAL INACTION AND EQUAL PROTECTION. Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, pp. Vol. 37 Number 1, p241-294. 54p.Stein, D. ((2010)). The 1986 war: building consensus on the prison regime and the abolitionist demand. Annual meeting (page 1). Law & Society.United States Sentencing Commission. (2009). Report on cocaine and federal sentencing policy. Retrieved from http://www.ussc.gov/: http://www.ussc.gov/