‘Just Say No’ Campaign

The First Lady Nancy Reagan conducted an anti-drug campaign when her husband, Ronald Reagan, served as President. They created the "Just Say No" campaign because they thought that drugs posed a threat to society, particularly among kids and teenagers. Reagan signed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act in 1986, allocating $1.7 billion for the War on Drugs. Along with mandated minimum sentences, he also introduced greater law enforcement.

Reagan believed that drugs posed a serious threat to American society. He campaigned on a platform of expanded drug treatment, drug-free workplaces, and tougher law enforcement. He enhanced drug enforcement during his first five years in office by establishing mandatory minimum sentences and the seizure of money and property for drug offenses.

Reagan signed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 into law on October 27, 1986, allocating $1.7 billion to finance the War on Drugs. The Act provided funding for AIDS research, drug counseling, and international collaboration to reduce drug manufacture, among other things. Through her "Just Say No" campaign to raise drug awareness among children and teenagers, Nancy Reagan, Ronald's wife, played a significant role in his War on Drugs. She visited 65 places across 33 states to spread the word about the risks associated with drug use.