The Aviation Drug-Trafficking Control Act was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on October 19, 1984. The act enlisted the help of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in combating drug trafficking in two areas: the certification of airmen, and the registration of aircraft. The act was not designed to empower the FAA with law enforcement duties, but instead was designed to make it more difficult and costly for drug traffickers to operate, thus deterring drug trafficking using aircraft. This article discusses the legal content of the act, the goals of this legislation, its implementation and effectiveness in deterring the trafficking of controlled substances, and its consequences for subsequent legislation.

The Aviation Drug-Trafficking Control Act was an attempt to curtail the illegal trafficking of drugs into ...