[1][2] The appearance of crack cocaine, the June 19, 1986, death of Len Bias (University of Maryland basketball star), the morning after he signed with the NBA champions Boston Celtics, and the June 27, 1986, death of Don Rogers (Cleveland Browns, 1985 Defensive Rookie of the Year) — both from cocaine use,[3] encouraged Speaker of the House of Representatives and Democratic congressman Tip O'Neill to mobilize the House Democratic leadership to assemble an omnibus anti-drug bill that became the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986.

[4] The congressional interest and intense news coverage created a moral panic surrounding cocaine use, which had earlier been viewed in a more benign or even positive way,[5] that made enacting this legislation so important.

This 100:1 disparity was reduced to 18:1, when crack was increased to 28 grams (1 ounce) by the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010.

For example, a drug crime involving 5 grams of crack cocaine resulted in a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in federal prison, while crimes involving 500 grams of powder cocaine received the same sentence.

This disparity led to major racial and class imbalances, where minorities faced far harsher punishments for the use and sale of virtually the same drug as their affluent, white counterparts.