CASTLE ROCK MEDICAL MARIJUANA CLINIC OPENS DOORS

CASTLE ROCK -- The Healing Hand of God -- Cowlitz County's first
medical marijuana clinic -- opened Monday with little fanfare but a
packed patient list.

The small Castle Rock clinic, 27 Cowlitz Street West, does not
dispense medical marijuana. Instead it allows patients to be evaluated
by a doctor who can write a prescription -- legally called a
recommendation -- for medical marijuana.

Monday, clinic staff expected to serve 35 patients with a variety of
medical conditions, said owner Julian Robinson. He owns the clinic
with his wife, Melissa, while Dr. Robert Billings sees and evaluates
the patients. Billings is an emergency room doctor from Tillicum, Wash.

"It's just been so wonderful seeing patients getting the help they
need," said Robinson, who also is a registered medical marijuana
patient with chronic back pain.

One patient he spoke with Monday afternoon -- who told a reporter she
didn't want to be identified -- thanked Robinson for doing away with
her need to drive to Vancouver to see a doctor.

"It's those kinds of patients who really touch you," he said. "It's a
blessing for us to be able to do this."

On the non-clinic days, the Robinsons will be available for consulting
- -- on everything from what to expect on medical marijuana to how to
set up a home grow operation. Under state law, people with a valid
medical marijuana card can grow a certain amount of their plant for
personal use.

Eventually, Julian Robinson would like to organize a co-op of
marijuana growers to distribute any excess they might produce.

State lawmakers are still trying to pass a new medical marijuana
dispensary law after their last attempt was vetoed by Gov. Chris
Gregoire. Even without a dispensary law, though, Robinson said he's
been advised that group grows among patients would be legal.

Robinson initially applied for a dispensary business license. He said
he'd still be interested in selling marijuana at the Castle Rock site
if it ever becomes legal to do so, but for now he's focusing on the
clinic and consulting.

Things were running smoothly Monday afternoon, but the business was
down to the wire when it came to opening in time for their first
appointments Monday. The clinic received verbal approval on its
business license late Friday afternoon. A final building inspection
will be made Wednesday, when the city's contracted building official
is in town, Robinson said.

Police Chief Bob Heuer said Monday that there are no special patrols
or enforcement planned for the clinic, which he said will be treated
the same as every other legal business in town.

The Robinsons said they intend to be good neighbors to the downtown
core and are purposefully not including marijuana in their name or the
still-to-be-erected sign. For details or appointments, call 274-4757.

"We want to work with the community," Robinson said earlier this month
about the business. "We live here, too."