'GURU OF GANJA' NAILED IN FED POT CASE

SAN FRANCISCO - A federal jury Friday found Ed Rosenthal, the author of
how-to-grow books on marijuana and how to avoid the law, guilty of
marijuana cultivation and conspiracy charges. The 12-member jury concluded
that Rosenthal, the self-described "Guru of Ganja," was growing more than
1,000 plants, conspiring to cultivate marijuana and maintaining a warehouse
for a growing operation. He faces a maximum life term when sentenced June 4.

The verdicts were a victory in the federal government's battle against
California's 1996 voter-approved medical marijuana law. Rosenthal's arrest
last year was among a string of Drug Enforcement Administration raids on
medical marijuana suppliers in California.

Under strict orders from U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, Rosenthal
never was able to tell the jury he was growing marijuana as "an officer"
for the city of Oakland's medical marijuana program.

Oakland's program and others throughout California were authorized under
Proposition 215. Eight other states also allow the sick and dying to smoke
or grow marijuana with a doctor's recommendation.