MARIJUANA COLUMNIST AND AUTHOR FACES FEDERAL CULTIVATION CHARGES

SAN FRANCISCO - The federal marijuana cultivation trial of former High
Times columnist Ed Rosenthal began Tuesday like so many drug cases.

Prosecutor George Bevan told jurors that agents seized some 3,000 plants
growing in Rosenthal's warehouse in Oakland. "It's a federal offense,"
Bevan said.

But this is no routine drug prosecution for a man whose column and books
preach the gospel on tips for growing marijuana. Rosenthal, the author of
how-to-grow books on growing marijuana and evading the law, says he was
growing medical marijuana, "to help the sick," which is legal under
California law and eight other states.

Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Oregon and Washington
allow the infirm to receive, possess, grow or smoke marijuana for medical
purposes without fear of state prosecution.

Rosenthal's case and others are an outgrowth of the government's drug war
almost two years after the U.S. Supreme Court said it was a violation of
federal drug laws for medical marijuana clubs to dispense pot to the sick.

Armed with the Supreme Court's ruling, the government has raided several
marijuana clubs and growing operations throughout California over the
objection of marijuana advocates, local prosecutors and officials.

Rosenthal and other marijuana advocates have taken the offensive with fresh
legal attacks of their own, opening a Pandora's box of new legal questions.
And these challenges, which are failing in the lower federal courts, will
soon reach the Supreme Court.

Rosenthal, 58, could face a life term if convicted.