The first cannabis dispensary I visited in Shelton was Batstone Bud Shop. From the outside, I confess to being a little put off by the name and the logo. Bats in popular culture are not generally thought of as harbingers of light and good fortune, but generally accompany vampires. I'm glad I was able to put aside my anti-bat prejudices and discover what was within. Incidentally, the name derives from the location at the corner of Batstone Cutoff Rd (probably a whole story behind that name in itself) and John's Prairie Rd. I also learned very few actual vampires shop there, which is a good thing. Nothing worse than a vampire with the munchies.

I was greeted by a pleasant young man named Stephen (pronounced Steffen) who, after checking my ID, asked what I was interested in today. I explained that I was new to Shelton and I was interested in learning more about local businesses whose core mission resonated with my own interests and beliefs. I explained that I was interested in writing about organizations doing good things in the world and I was a longtime advocate of cannabis, in all its forms, and how I saw it as a wonder plant, the virtues of which we were being unjustly deprived.

He handed me a glossy magazine called Everything Medical Marijuana and told me it was a publication they were producing. Then he asked if I would like to meet the guy who made it. Sometimes the Universe seems to care just for you.

Claude Mahmood came out from the back and I got the sense of a totally authentic person following his vision in his work. As we spoke, it became evident that this enterprise was not about profits above all, but working to increase knowledge about the healing properties of cannabis and helping people find relief from their suffering. He told me about one of the owners, Jami, whose son's muscular dystrophy responded to cannabis better than pharmaceutical drugs and with fewer side effects.

About that time, Jami walked in. The impression I got from Jami is she is a fighter. Not in the aggressive confrontational way, but the way a mother overcomes all obstacles as an advocate for her child. I'd say compassion was her passion.

She explained how she resented the way the state of Washington made all medical dispensaries become recreational marijuana outlets. Her focus was on healing and symptom relief, not helping people get stoned on a weekend (not that there's anything wrong with that).

One of the problems that come with recreational marijuana is the focus on THC levels. If you're buying a product for a buzz, your inclination might be to get the most THC for your cannabis dollar. On a personal note, I think that can be a mistake - a strain like Critical Cure with a 9% THC and matching CBD can make for a much more pleasant experience than a 25% THC strain whose potency that might cause anxiety. A huge portion of Batstone's focus is CBD Outreach. CBD is non-psychoactive, but contains many anti-inflammatory and anti-seizure properties. Not much recreation there, but a world of relief.

The other problem Jami shared with me was that some recreational grow operations are more about maximizing profits than providing pure product or medicine.  Some growers are using pesticides and other chemicals on their plants that may be downright dangerous if ignited and the smoke inhaled. These chemicals have not been tested for this use and who knows what carcinogens are in the smoke of a miticide or fungicide? This is why Batstone keeps only a small number of trusted organic growers as  suppliers. The dedication to providing only pure medical cannabis products also benefits the  recreational patrons of Batstone Bud Shop.

At one point during our discussion of pesticides and commercial grows, Jami mentioned that home grows are really the best option for people who are able.  When I asked if that wouldn't diminish her business, she replied it was more important that people could be sure of getting the clean, natural medicine they need than for her to make a few extra bucks.

This is my kind of business and these are my kind of people...

Batstone Bud Shop
935 E Johns Prairie Rd
Shelton, WA 98584

Store Hours:

Monday-Friday: 8am to 10pm

Saturday: 10am to 10pm

Sunday: 10am to 8pm

Store number: 360-426-2000