New York, New York - Manhattan has opened New York state's first ever licensed business for adult recreational cannabis users, and the community welcomed it with open arms.

On Thursday afternoon at exactly 4:20 PM, The Housing Works Cannabis Company became the first ever licensed dispensary to open for business in New York state.

Located in Manhattan's East Village, the shop received over 2,000 RSVPs to its invitation for the event, and there was a line stretching down the block hours before the opening.

Charles King is the chief executive officer of Housing Works, a non-profit company that owns the business and provides services for HIV/AIDS patients, the homeless, and the formerly incarcerated.

King told CNN that even he was surprised by NYC residents' overwhelming excitement for the grand opening.

"I don't know that we're actually going to be able to serve everyone in the three hours that we're open," he said. "People are eager."

New York state officially legalized marijuana back in April 2021, but has struggled to implement a system for sales. The wait has caused many unlicensed shops to pop up around the city, pushing law enforcement to step in and crack down on multiple occasions.

Fortunately, a strong foundation of activists, advocates, and elected officials that support the movement have worked to educate the community as licenses are rolled out.

New York will see many more shops opened in 2023, as the cannabis industry is expected to create 30,000 to 60,000 jobs throughout the state.