Following the accidental death of two Muslim teenagers, Zyed Benna and Bouna Traor who tried to hide from police who were chasing them in a power substation where they were electrocuted. Riots break out in poor areas of Paris followed by other riots and unrest in other poor housing projects in a number of cities in various parts of France. The rioting continued for the next ten days and on 10th November President Jacques Chirac declared a state of emergency effective at midnight. Riots did still continue for the next few days but by late November the rioting had ended with the arrest of more than 2,500 rioters and nearly 8,000 vehicles destroyed during the 20 days of rioting.

Controlled Substance Act becomes law which class Cannabis, marijuana, heroin and LSD amongst many others as “schedule I,” drugs . Schedule I drugs are "( A ) drug or other substance has high potential for abuse (B) The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.