Nature’s Medicines Dispensary in Uxbridge MA

A dispensary on a road with a story

Some street names are just labels. Quaker Highway is a history lesson. This Uxbridge road got its name from the Quakers who settled along it, and today it is also the home of Nature’s Medicines Dispensary in Uxbridge MA, at 1045 Quaker Highway on Route 146A.

It is a handy spot. Route 146A runs from Uxbridge to the Rhode Island line, and Route 146 also passes through town, so the store is easy to reach from all over the Blackstone Valley. If you are planning your first trip, or you just want to know more about the shop on 146A, here is the full rundown.

Open since 2021

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission lists 1045 Quaker Highway as an active, licensed adult-use cannabis retailer, open since January 14, 2021.

That makes Uxbridge one of the company’s two original adult-use stores in Massachusetts. When its Wareham store opened in 2022, local coverage in Wareham Week described Wareham as the company’s third Massachusetts recreational shop, after Uxbridge and Fall River.

A long road to opening day

This location was years in the making. Back in September 2017, the Telegram & Gazette reported that Uxbridge selectmen voted 3 to 2 to sign a letter of non-opposition for a proposed cannabis growing facility in “an existing 20,000-square-foot building at 1045 Quaker Highway.” The company was working under an earlier name at the time. One selectman who voted no said he wanted to see the host agreement first, and the town manager was asked to pull together the pieces of that agreement.

Fast forward to 2021, and the same address was open as an adult-use dispensary. It is a good reminder of how much local work goes into every licensed shop in Massachusetts, from town votes to host agreements to state licenses.

The people behind it

Nature’s Medicines describes itself as a family-owned dispensary group. Its 2022 Wareham announcement says it was founded in 2014, and its about page says the company’s top goal is to inspire customers on their self-care journey and to educate them along the way. The company runs three Massachusetts stores, in Uxbridge, Fall River and Wareham.

What the store says about itself

The Uxbridge listing on Leafly gives a good feel for the shop. It calls Nature’s Medicines “a licensed, award-winning dispensary” and says the team aims to put “your well-being at the forefront of everything we do.” It also promises a “customer-friendly and knowledgeable staff,” which is exactly what you want on a first visit. The company’s about page adds that staff are trained to ask relevant questions and listen before they recommend anything.

What’s on the menu

The Leafly listing names the main categories: flower, vape pens, concentrates, oils, topicals and edibles. The company says its products are third-party tested, and the listing notes that a certificate of analysis is available on request. Menus change often, so check the online menu before you go.

Fast pickup on 146A

Short on time? Leafly lists the Uxbridge store with pickup in under 30 minutes. Place your order online, drive over and grab it. It is a smart move if you are heading home on 146A after work or squeezing in a stop before a weekend trip.

Smart shopping, the Nature’s Medicines way

The company keeps a set of education articles on its website. Here are three ideas worth borrowing.

Ask the right questions. The company’s guide to choosing a dispensary in Massachusetts lists what to ask about anywhere you shop: how wide the selection is, the price with taxes included, how informed and friendly the staff are, and what they would recommend for someone new.

Keep a journal. The company’s article on THC suggests you “consider keeping a journal of the products you’ve tried and how they made you feel.” It is a simple habit that makes every future visit easier.

Learn the label. The same article says that “understanding which cannabinoids and terpenes are present as you sample different strains” can help you choose. Read the label, then ask staff about anything you do not recognize.

Uxbridge, Fall River or Wareham?

Nature’s Medicines has three Massachusetts stores, and each has its own personality. Here is how they compare, based on the Leafly listings:

Uxbridge: 1045 Quaker Highway, adult use, Monday through Saturday 8am to 9pm and Sunday 10am to 8pm, cash and debit.
Fall River: 482 Globe Street, adult use plus a separate medical listing, open until 10pm Monday through Saturday.
Wareham: 3119 Cranberry Highway in East Wareham, adult use, open until 10pm Monday through Saturday.

Uxbridge is the pick for the Blackstone Valley and for anyone coming up 146A. It is an adult-use store, so you do not need a medical card. The company’s article on medical and recreational rules explains that adult-use buyers simply need to be 21 or older, while medical patients need a state card and a qualifying diagnosis. If you are a registered patient looking for the medical menu, the Fall River store is the one with a medical listing.

Plan your visit

Address. 1045 Quaker Highway (Route 146A), Uxbridge, MA 01569.

Hours. Monday through Saturday, 8am to 9pm. Sunday, 10am to 8pm, as listed on Leafly. Call ahead around holidays.

Phone. (508) 538-9853.

Payment. Leafly lists cash and debit, with an ATM on site.

Access. Leafly lists the storefront as ADA accessible.

Order ahead. Online ordering with pickup in under 30 minutes, according to Leafly.

Adults 21+. This is an adult-use store. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID showing you are 21 or older.

Massachusetts cannabis basics

Here are the state rules from the Cannabis Control Commission:

Age. 21 or older, with a government-issued ID for every retail purchase.
Carrying. Up to two ounces in public.
At home. Up to 10 ounces, and anything over two ounces must be locked up.
Where to use it. Not in public places and not on federal land.
In the car. No open containers in the passenger area. Use a closed container in the trunk or a locked glove compartment, and never drive under the influence.
State lines. It is illegal to take cannabis out of Massachusetts, and it cannot be mailed. Route 146A runs straight into North Smithfield, Rhode Island, so do not carry your purchase over that line.

Your first visit, step by step

Browse online. Check the menu and pick a few options.
Order ahead if you want. Pickup can be ready in under 30 minutes.
Bring your ID. A valid photo ID showing you are 21 or older.
Bring cash or debit. There is an ATM on site if you need it.
Start a journal. Write down what you tried so your next visit is easier.

Make a day of it in Uxbridge

Start with the road itself. According to Wikipedia, the route was called the Great Road in colonial times and later the Quaker Highway, after Quakers from Smithfield, Rhode Island, settled along it. Route 146A today is a 4.1-mile road that links Route 122 in Uxbridge with Rhode Island’s Route 146A in North Smithfield. Part of it was the original Route 146, before the state built the Route 146 freeway between 1981 and 1984.

The Quakers left a landmark behind. The Friends Meetinghouse, at 479 Quaker Highway on the corner of Route 98 (Aldrich Street), is on the same road as the store, so it makes an easy side trip. It was built in 1770 from bricks made at a brickyard across the street. In keeping with Quaker practice, it had separate entrances and meeting spaces for men and women. Construction began around 1769 on the farm of Moses Farnum, and Quakers from the Smithfield, Rhode Island, community did the building. Richard Mowry, from one of the founding families, built woolen and cotton machinery. The meetinghouse joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

That meetinghouse played a part in a bigger story. Abolitionist Abby Kelley Foster was a member there, until the Uxbridge Meeting disowned her in 1841 over her speeches to audiences of men and women together. So was Effingham Capron, a local mill owner and anti-slavery leader whose family led an Uxbridge anti-slavery society of about 450 members. Wikipedia describes him as sheltering people escaping slavery on the Underground Railroad, and the town as a junction on those routes.

Uxbridge is really a cluster of villages, each with a mill story. Ironstone had a cotton mill that later made Kentucky Blue Jeans. Wheelockville and Hecla were home to mills and a shoe factory. In Rivulet, or North Uxbridge, the Rivulet Mill dates back to 1814. At Rogerson’s Village, the Crown and Eagle Mill was renovated after a 1971 fire. All of that fits into a town of about 30.4 square miles.

Want a fun bit of trivia for the drive home? Albert Harkness, a graduate of Uxbridge High School, went on to become a well-known Latin scholar who published a number of works. The town is also one of thirteen in the Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational School District.

Why Nature’s Medicines Uxbridge is worth the stop

A shop on one of the oldest roads in town, the same road as a 1770 Quaker meetinghouse. One of the company’s first adult-use stores in Massachusetts, with fast pickup and a team that listens before it recommends. Nature’s Medicines Uxbridge makes an easy stop for anyone traveling Route 146A, whether you live in the Blackstone Valley or are just passing through.

Cannabis is for adults 21 and over. Please consume responsibly.