Grass Rootz 420, A Review

Grass Rootz 420

1411 West Side Highway

Kelso, WA 98626

http://www.grassrootz420.com

*banner from the Grass Rootz 420 website (I claim no ownership)

Hours of Operation:

Mon-Fri, 10am-8pm

Sat-Sun, 12pm-5pm

Telephone:

360-353-3035

It is discreetly, but ideally located, along the I-5 corridor. As the establishment is in a residential, single family dwelling, it has a down-home “feel.” It lacks the stark, white walls of a doctor’s office & the impersonal touches of today’s HMOs. Every single time I’ve done business, or brought someone else to conduct business, with Grass Rootz 420 in Kelso, WA I’ve been treated with respect & common courtesy. It’s refreshing to enter an establishment, have them remember not only my face, but my name, too. It’s really reminiscent of the part of my childhood that I spent in Oklahoma, when people didn’t lock their doors & everyone was welcome to every picnic. This is a compliment.

With all of the confusion over the laws & policies & whether or not the Federal government has the right to use the Supremacy Law to bully small business owners, this little establishment has hung tough. Apparently, the Cowlitz County Narcotics Task Force, had placed an uncover agent (or two, according to my sources) as a patient(s), & they gathered intel on the “dirty dealings” going on in the establishment. However, I personally believe that the Longview Police Department was out of line. As reported in a recent Daily News article, Cowlitz County’s Prosecuting Attorney, Susan Bauer, stated “that it would have been impractical to prosecute the cases because voters decided last year to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. In addition, she said confusion over laws governing both medical and recreational pot would have further complicated matters.”

*picture provided by the Grass Rootz 420 Facebook page (I claim no ownership)

I was a legally certified medical marijuana patient until November 2013, but I had to let my certification lapse without renewal. On April 6, 2013, I was coerced into signing a paper for The Longview Housing Authority (HUD) that states that “Households actively participating (in Housing Programs) . . .  will have their program assistance and tenancy terminated if there is a preponderance of evidence (if not convicted, termination will still be processed based on evidence) demonstrating the household or member of the household used, possessed, grew, or sold marijuana and/or medical marijuana.” Even though I signed the form with the added “under duress” notation, I won’t purchase marijuana legally under any circumstances. It is because of the dedication & perseverance of Aaron Kightlinger, Kirk Kightlinger, Mandy Henderson, and Steffen Kightlinger, that I will reestablish my business with Grass Rootz 420 as soon as it is legal for me to do so, without fear of retaliation.

*photo courtesy of The Daily News (I claim no ownership)

I’ve left several voicemail messages & one or two Facebook messages, asking someone from the establishment to interview for this article, but no one has been available for comments. I understand this. There are privacy & confidentiality laws, & there are too many people trying to shut down businesses like this one. Just remember that Grass Rootz 420 is a professional business with a down-home feel, and this former (& future patient) highly recommends the medical marijuana community to conduct business with an establishment that has already proven dedication to their patients and THE cause.