U.S. JURY CONVICTS AUTHOR WHO GREW MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Items compiled from Tribune news services

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA -- A federal jury on Friday found an author of
marijuana books and advice columns guilty of marijuana cultivation and
conspiracy. Under mandatory sentencing laws, Ed Rosenthal faces a minimum of
5 years in prison.

Rosenthal, 58, who admitted to growing the plants for distribution under
California's medicinal marijuana law, known as Proposition 215, called the
verdict a "terrible decision" and vowed to fight it.

"What the federal government is trying to do is destroy Prop 215 and
eliminate medical marijuana from California," Rosenthal said.

The state law, passed by voters as an initiative in 1996, permits the
cultivation of marijuana as medicine for seriously ill people. Rosenthal was
growing starter plants in a warehouse in Oakland in his capacity as an
"officer of the city" under Oakland's medical marijuana ordinance. The
plants were distributed to organizations and clubs that serve the seriously
ill.

But Judge Charles Breyer did not allow Rosenthal to raise the California law
as a defense because Rosenthal was indicted under federal law, which does
not permit marijuana cultivation for medicinal purposes.