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Nixon officially declares a "war on drugs," identifying drug abuse as "public enemy No. 1."
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Nancy Reagan launches her "Just Say No" anti-drug campaign
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Reagan signs the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, which appropriates $1.7 billion to fight the drug war.
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After receiving personal threats from drug traffickers, the Colombian Supreme Court ruled by a vote of 13-12 to annul the extradition treaty with the United States.
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President George H.W. Bush creates the Office of National Drug Control Policy and appoints William Bennett as the head of the program.
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President Clinton signs the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which increases the amount of trade and traffic across the U.S-Mexican border.
This makes it more difficult for U.S. Customs to find narcotics moving across the border. -
President Bill Clinton gives $1.3 billion in aid to Plan Colombia, an effort to decrease the amount of cocaine produced in that nation.
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In February, three Americans — contracted by the Pentagon to help with Colombia's anti-drug effort — are taken hostage by guerrilla fighters after their surveillance plane crashes.
In April, the Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act is enacted, which targets ecstasy, predatory drugs and methamphetamine.