In Good Health, which has operated as a medical marijuana dispensary at 1200 West Chestnut St. since 2015, officially launched recreational marijuana operations 8 a.m. Tuesday. The opening marked the first recreational pot operation in the city and the first in the Brockton area.

BROCKTON — Starting Tuesday, Marijuana users now don’t have to leave the city to purchase cannabis products – and no medical card is necessary.

In Good Health, located at 1200 West Chestnut St., has officially opened its doors as the city’s first recreational marijuana dispensary. The facility has operated as a medical marijuana facility since 2015 but with the addition of recreational sales, In Good Health is now the only facility selling recreational marijuana in the area.

“We’re very excited,” said In Good Health President and CEO David Noble. “We’ve been working on this for 19 months … It’s really going to elevate our business to a new level, not just for In Good Health but for the city as well.”

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Offerings include about a dozen varieties of cannabis flowers and pre-rolled joints, oil concentrates, topical patches and sticks, chocolates, gummies, flavored lozenges and glass smoking pieces.

With the snip of a pair of scissors specially engraved for the opening, cutting the ribbon ceremoniously placed across the entrance to the registers, the dispensary was open for business. As the first round of customers entered, they were directed to numbered registers for their purchases. Eight registers were open for recreational sales, while two were open for medical, with a third medical register on standby if needed.

The opening was quiet, which Noble said he expected, but noted that he anticipated more customers to continue stopping in throughout the day. Only a handful of people braved the 8 a.m. opening time to wait in line outside, but both medical and recreational customers trickled in over the course of the morning.

One recreational customer, Frank Itri of Quincy, said he had been going to a recreational shop in Brookline, but with more congestion making it more of a hassle when trying to park there, he said he would probably start coming to the Brockton location more often.

He expected more of a line Tuesday, he said, but noted that he thought it was a good thing more shops were opening.

“I think it’s being done well and professionally,” he said. “So far, it doesn’t seem to be impacting the community negatively.”

And with legalization and with more shops allowing more access, he said more people are turning to marijuana for medical use.

“It definitely has its medicinal qualities,” he said, “… but after a long day of work, it definitely helps.”

That thought was echoed by Noble, who said the new recreational operation would help those hesitant to apply for a medical marijuana card.

“I think a lot of adult-use people are using it for medical purposes,” Noble said.

After the ribbon cutting Tuesday, Noble saved the honor of the first purchase for his mother, Andrea Noble, who he credits as making the whole operation happen.

“Without her, this wasn’t possible,” he said.

She founded In Good Health in 2013 and currently serves as the chairman of the company’s board of directors. It was because of her efforts that the company launched medical marijuana operations in 2015, David Noble said.

“No one had the guts to go down this road. She did,” he said.

The recreational opening was a long time coming, Andrea Noble said, who purchased a pack of chocolate cannabis-infused pearls.

“This is amazing and my son made my dream come true,” she said.

With their opening Tuesday, In Good Health is the only recreational facility in the Brockton area, David Noble said, with the next closest operation about 22 miles away.

“As we move into this new venture in our community, In Good Health has been a good partner (and) a good neighbor,” said Mayor Moises Rodrigues, who was the second customer of the day. ”The fact they’re hiring a ton of people makes us feel good and happy they’re opening in our community.”

In Good Health will be providing the state with a 20 percent tax on all recreational marijuana sales, including 3 percent that will go the city, on top of another 3 percent host community agreement on pot sales. In Good Health would also be taxed on wholesale transactions, as the company sells its products to other retail marijuana businesses.

Within the last six months, Noble said they hired over 50 people in anticipation for the opening. Based on the operations of other recreational facilities, Noble said they’re expecting about 500 to 1,000 customers a day, he said. He also noted that their wholesale operation, which already provides cannabis to other dispensaries around the state, will also be able to support other local recreational shops that may follow suit in opening in Brockton.

In Good Health’s Brockton facility has 50 parking spaces just for recreational customers, he said, which will help to alleviate traffic concerns.

“We’re open until 8 o’clock every night,” Noble said. “It’ll be a relatively easy processing coming to this facility.”

Staff writer Corlyn Voorhees can be reached at cvoorhees@enterprisenews.com