MEDICAL MARIJUANA ADVOCATE CONVICTED

Ed Rosenthal of Oakland Faces Up to 85 Years in Prison on the Federal
Charges.

SAN FRANCISCO -- An author of how-to books on growing marijuana and
avoiding the law was convicted Friday on federal charges of marijuana
cultivation and conspiracy.

Ed Rosenthal, the self-described "Guru of Ganja," maintains he was
growing pot to help the sick, which is legal under California law. His
case represented the latest clash between state and federal
authorities over the medical use of marijuana.

Several people in the courtroom, including Rosenthal's wife and
daughter, wept as the verdicts were read by a court clerk.

"This was not a trial. It was called a kangaroo trial," Rosenthal, who
remains free on bail, said as supporters chanted: "We love you, Ed."

The federal jury concluded Rosenthal was growing more than 100 plants,
conspiring to cultivate marijuana and maintaining a warehouse for a
growing operation.

Rosenthal, 58, faces a maximum of 85 years in prison 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 that 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. California and seven other states -- Alaska,
Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Oregon and Washington -- also allow
the sick and dying to smoke or grow marijuana with a doctor's
recommendation.

But federal authorities do not recognize those laws.