Pubdate: Mon, 26 Feb 2007
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2007 The Edmonton Journal
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: Associated Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

CHONG RAISES MONEY TO HELP GURU OF GANJA

PIEDMONT, Calif. - Comedian Tommy Chong will help raise money to 
defend the self-proclaimed Guru of Ganja, who is charged with growing 
hundreds of marijuana plants for a dispensary.

The Edmonton-born Chong, who starred with Cheech Marin in stoner 
movie classics Up in Smoke and Nice Dreams, will appear at a $125 US 
per-person event for Ed Rosenthal.

Rosenthal, 62, famed for his marijuana cultivation books and the Ask 
Ed column he wrote for High Times magazine, will host the event at 
his Piedmont home on Sunday.

"The party will celebrate how far we've come in legalizing medical 
marijuana as well as provide me with the money I need to fund my 
current trial that is defending all of our rights," Rosenthal said.

Rosenthal, who's scheduled to appear in federal court March 19, 
estimates his trial and related expenses could cost more than $300,000.

Federal prosecutors accused Rosenthal of growing marijuana, 
laundering money and falsifying tax returns from October 2001 through 
February 2002.

In a post to his weblog, The Blog of Chong, on Saturday, Chong urged 
his readers to attend the benefit for Rosenthal and donate to his 
defence. "Ed is being dogged by the feds for his marijuana work with 
sick people," Chong wrote. "It is the feds who are sick."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman