Everyone Convicted Under the Narcotics Control Act
Who pardoned them: John F. Kennedy
What they were pardoned for: Any first-time offense under the Narcotics Control Act of 1965
Why it was controversial: This was a case in which a president used his powers of pardon to point out what he felt was a flaw in the system. This pardon essentially overturned much of the law that had been passed by Congress, which imposed mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses.