Franklin County VT Dispensaries: Complete Guide (2026)

Franklin County sits in Vermont's far northwest corner — a largely rural county of dairy farms and river valleys along the Missisquoi, fronting Lake Champlain from St. Albans Bay north to Swanton and Highgate, with St. Albans City as its commercial hub. The county has something no other Vermont county has: a direct I-89 connection to the Canadian border, with Vermont's busiest U.S.–Canada crossing at Highgate Springs just 15 miles north of the city. That proximity shapes both who shops at the county's dispensaries and what questions they arrive with.

TL;DR: Two dispensaries, both in Saint Albans City off I-89 Exit 19. MothaPlant (398 Highgate Commons Rd) opens at 7:30 AM daily with a flower bar that sells by the gram from a half gram up — the earliest open in the county. Mary Jane Junction (120 Swanton Rd) is woman-owned and focuses on local Vermont cultivators, opening at 8 AM daily. Both charge 20% tax. Neither has an integrated medical license. The Canadian border is 15 miles north — Canadians can legally shop here with valid ID but cannot take cannabis across the border.

Both shops at a glance

Possession limit under S.278 (effective July 1, 2026): 2 oz flower / 10 g concentrate. All shops require adults 21+ with valid photo ID.

MothaPlant — the flower bar and Franklin County's earliest open

MothaPlant at 398 Highgate Commons Road sits on the north side of Saint Albans City, in the Highgate Commons commercial area off Route 7 / Highgate Road. It is owned and operated by Anthony and Ashley Sorrentino, and is one of the county's original dispensary openings.

The defining feature is the flower bar: MothaPlant sells cannabis flower in custom quantities starting at a half gram. Most Vermont dispensaries sell flower in fixed increments — grams, eighths, quarters, half ounces — which locks buyers into more product than they may want for a short visit or a first purchase. MothaPlant's by-the-gram structure lets you buy exactly what you want: a half gram to try something new, a gram of something specific, or a curated multi-gram selection across several strains. For out-of-state visitors with uncertainty about how much they'll use, this format is worth knowing about.

MothaPlant's 7:30 AM daily open is among the earliest in Vermont — over 30 minutes before Mary Jane Junction opens and more than two hours before most Vermont dispensaries start operating. The full menu covers flower, pre-rolls, vapes, concentrates, edibles, tinctures, and topicals. The shop also carries CBD pet products: tinctures, dog treats, and accessories for customers shopping for animals. Online ordering is available through MothaPlant's own website.

Address: 398 Highgate Commons Rd, Saint Albans City, VT 05478. Phone: (802) 782-8623. Website: mothaplant.com. Hours: Daily 7:30 AM–8 PM. Tax: 20%.

Mary Jane Junction — woman-owned, local cultivators

Mary Jane Junction at 120 Swanton Road is the other St. Albans adult-use dispensary — located on the main commercial corridor heading north out of the city center toward Swanton village. It is a woman-owned shop that prioritizes local Vermont cultivators across its flower and product selection.

The focus on Vermont-grown cannabis reflects a commitment that not all Vermont dispensaries make explicit. Vermont's adult-use regulations require products to come from licensed Vermont cultivators, but sourcing choices vary — some shops carry products from a mix of small Vermont farms and larger licensed producers; others specifically seek out and highlight small-batch Vermont growers. Mary Jane Junction's stated priority for local cultivators means its selection emphasizes regionally sourced flower at the price points those farms produce.

Online ordering is available through the Dutchie platform for pickup orders. The full product menu covers flower, pre-rolls, vapes, concentrates, edibles, and accessories. Hours are daily 8 AM–8 PM — consistent seven-day availability without the Sunday-reduction hours some Vermont shops impose.

Address: 120 Swanton Rd, Saint Albans City, VT 05478. Phone: (802) 503-9780. Website: maryjanejunctionvt.com. Hours: Daily 8 AM–8 PM. Tax: 20%.

The Canadian border: what you need to know

The Highgate Springs–St. Armand/Philipsburg port of entry on I-89 at Exit 22 is Vermont's busiest U.S.–Canada crossing and one of the busiest on the entire Northern Border. It connects Vermont directly to Québec, with Montreal approximately 90 minutes north. Swanton (I-89 Exit 21) sits between the crossing and St. Albans, making Saint Albans City the first substantial commercial stop for anyone entering Vermont from Canada on I-89.

Canadian visitors — including Québec residents making day trips and seasonal tourists — can legally purchase cannabis at both Saint Albans dispensaries with valid government-issued photo ID. Vermont dispensaries serve any adult 21 and older; Canadian passports and government-issued ID are accepted for age verification. The same purchase limits and possession limits apply regardless of residency.

The rule that cannot be stated enough: Transporting cannabis across the U.S.–Canada international border is a federal crime. Full stop. This applies in both directions. You cannot legally carry cannabis purchased in Vermont into Canada, and you cannot carry Canadian cannabis into Vermont. It does not matter that cannabis is legal in both countries. Border crossing involves federal jurisdiction, and cannabis remains federally controlled in the United States. U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Canada Border Services Agency both enforce this. Do not bring cannabis to the Highgate Springs border crossing.

The practical implication for visitors from Canada: purchase for personal use within Vermont. Plan to use what you buy before returning home, or budget accordingly for what you're prepared to leave behind.

Dispensary coverage gaps across Franklin County

Only Saint Albans City has CCB-licensed dispensaries in Franklin County. The rest of the county is uncovered:

• Swanton (Exit 21, ~7–8 miles north of St. Albans): No dispensaries. Two shops in St. Albans, 10–15 minutes south via US-7 or I-89. See the Swanton near-me guide.
• Highgate (Exit 22, ~12–15 miles north of St. Albans): No dispensaries. St. Albans is the first shopping option heading south from the border.
• Enosburg Falls (northeast corner, ~30 miles from St. Albans): No dispensaries. Nearest licensed shops are in St. Albans.
• Sheldon, St. Albans Town, Georgia, Fairfax, Berkshire, Richford: None of these towns have CCB-licensed cannabis retailers.

For visitors in Swanton or the border area, St. Albans City is the answer. For buyers in Enosburg Falls and the northeastern part of the county, the drive to St. Albans (roughly 30–35 minutes) is the only legal Vermont option before heading into Lamoille or Orleans County.

Medical cannabis in Franklin County

Neither Mary Jane Junction nor MothaPlant holds an integrated medical cannabis license. Both are adult-use recreational shops only. Vermont's adult-use and medical systems are separate: medical patients must purchase from a CCB-endorsed retailer with an integrated (dual-use) license, and neither Franklin County shop qualifies.

Vermont registered medical cannabis patients in Franklin County should travel to Capital Cannabis Company in Montpelier — 44 Main Street, open Mon–Sat 8 AM–8 PM and Sun 10 AM–6 PM, approximately 45 minutes south on I-89 to Exit 8. This is the nearest integrated retailer for Franklin County. Zenbarn Farms in Waterbury Center (Exit 10) is approximately 55 minutes south and also holds an integrated license.

Vermont cannabis law in Franklin County (2026)

Vermont's S.278 (Act 176) raised the adult-use possession limit effective July 1, 2026. Adults 21 and older may now possess up to 2 oz of flower and 10 g of concentrate — up from the previous 1 oz / 5 g limits. Edibles remain capped at 500 mg THC. Home cultivation of up to six plants per household (two mature, four immature) remains legal. See Vermont Cannabis Law Changes 2026 (S.278) for full detail.

See also: Best Dispensary Near Me St. Albans VT — full comparison of both shops with parking and transit notes; Best Dispensary Near Me Swanton VT — directions from Swanton to both St. Albans shops; MothaPlant full listing — flower bar, 7:30 AM daily, Highgate Commons; Mary Jane Junction full listing — woman-owned, Swanton Rd, daily 8 AM–8 PM; All St. Albans dispensaries; Best Dispensary Near Me Alburgh VT — Vermont Alter-Native on the Grand Isle chain; Lamoille County dispensary guide — 8 shops on the Route 15 corridor; Washington County dispensary guide — 7 shops around Montpelier, Barre, and Waitsfield; Vermont Cannabis Law Changes 2026 (S.278) — possession limits updated July 1, 2026; Vermont Strain Match — find the right product by effect; full Vermont dispensary directory.