Dispensary near Alexandria? Where to buy legally until Virginia stores open in 2027
While legally residents of Alexandria can have marijuana in their home, no one in the city can sell it to them legally. Adult possession is legal in Virginia in July 2021. The sole licensed dispensary in Alexandria (located on Richmond Highway) is only available to medically registered patients.
This is a new end date for that gap. Governor Abigail Spanberger and legislators agreed in June 2026 to a budget that will allow licensed rec shops to open in July 2027. For now, Maryland has one option for people who don’t have a medical card but would like to get tested regulated products: cross the Woodrow Wilson Bridge into Maryland.
Why Alexandria still has no recreational dispensary
In fact, Virginia was the first to legalize possession, before it was finalized to sell cannabis. The retail bills that arrived on the Governor’s desk were vetoed by him and the 2026 version languished on the date of implementation until the compromise in June. The final deal brings the statewide retail market to 350 licenses and will increase the personal possession amount to two ounces.
Here are the dates that matter for Alexandria shoppers.
| Date | What changes in Virginia |
| July 1, 2021 | Adults 21+ can legally possess cannabis |
| June 2026 | Budget deal creates a licensed retail market |
| Feb. 1, 2027 | State starts accepting retail license applications |
| July 1, 2027 | Recreational sales to adults 21+ begin |
Nine more months is a long wait when the stores across the river have been open since 2023. I understand why so many people in Old Town and Del Ray stopped waiting.
What a Maryland dispensary near Alexandria looks like
Maryland started adult-use sales on July 1, 2023. Anyone 21 or older with a government-issued photo ID can buy there, Virginia residents included, and no medical card is required.
Mary & Main in Capitol Heights is one of the closer stores for people coming from Alexandria. It sits a few minutes off the Capital Beltway on the Maryland side, roughly 30 minutes from Old Town outside rush hour. The menu carries Maryland brands such as Culta, Curio, District Cannabis, and Rythm across flower, pre-rolls, vapes, edibles, and concentrates. The store also keeps a dispensary near Alexandria, VA guide for Virginia visitors, with directions, nearby landmarks, and payment details.
Mary & Main
8801 Hampton Mall Dr. N., Capitol Heights, MD 20743
(240) 838-3660
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Getting there from Alexandria
Driving is the most direct route for most people. From Old Town:
- Pick up the Capital Beltway (I-495) at the south end of Old Town.
- Cross the Woodrow Wilson Bridge into Prince George’s County.
- Follow I-495 north to the Central Avenue (MD 214) exit.
- Take Central Avenue to Hampton Mall Drive North.
If you’d rather leave the car at home, the Metro Blue Line runs from King Street–Old Town into Prince George’s County. Morgan Boulevard is the closest station to the store, and a short rideshare covers the last stretch.
What to know before your first visit
A few details catch first-time visitors off guard.
- You need a valid government-issued photo ID or passport, and you must be 21 or older.
- Payment works by cash, debit card, credit card, or Dutchie Pay, with no tap-to-pay or Apple Pay. Debit carries a $3 fee, credit adds 5.9%, and there’s an ATM on site.
- Maryland caps adult-use purchases at 1.5 ounces of flower, 12 grams of concentrate, or 750 mg of THC in edibles.
The part most guides leave out matters more than any of that. Maryland law bans taking cannabis out of the state, even into another state where possession is legal, and carrying it across state lines breaks federal law too. Virginia’s possession law doesn’t change that. Plan to use what you buy in Maryland, on private property where the owner allows it, and never drive after using it.
Will Alexandria shoppers still make the trip after 2027?
Some will. Virginia’s licenses will roll out gradually, and the first stores will likely belong to the medical operators already working in the state. Maryland’s market has had three years to fill its shelves with local brands.
My guess is the Beltway trip fades for casual buyers once a licensed shop opens closer to home. Shoppers chasing a specific brand or strain will keep driving for a while, at least until Virginia’s supply catches up. For the next nine months, a Maryland dispensary is the only legal place for an Alexandria adult without a medical card to buy cannabis.
