Final answer:
The sale and use of illicit drugs was not at an all-time low in the mid-1980s, as crack cocaine usage was increasing. Harsh laws and penalties were passed as a result.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that "in the mid-1980s, the sale and use of illicit drugs was at an all-time low" is False. In fact, during the 1980s, the usage of crack cocaine among lower income, Black, and Hispanic individuals was increasing. This led to fears among the white middle class, resulting in the passing of harsh laws and penalties, such as the "three strikes laws." This can be seen in the increase in incarceration rates during the war on drugs in the 1980s.