LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Rainbow Blossom manager Summer Auerbach watched as the 26 processors and cultivators received the lucky draw during Kentucky's first medical marijuana lottery on Monday.
She's anxiously waiting for when the dispensary lottery will take place, to see if she gets lucky enough to expand her business.
"It made me both nervous and excited for the dispensary, whenever that date is set," Auerbach said.
Auerbach is the second generation owner of the Rainbow Blossom grocery stores. Her application fee is in for the chance to expand the business by creating a dispensary, a step she feels is natural for the business.
"We're one of the very first places to get into CBD," said Auerbach. "It's something we're very interested in and we have really been a pioneer of within the industry."
Rainbow Blossom offers medicinal CBD products including oils and gummies, but nothing smokeable. Auerbach said this makes it an easy transition.
"So it makes sense to move into medical cannabis," she said. "And I think it's something we're passionate about and be sure to uphold the high standards that we already have."
There are thousands of applications for the dispensary license. Many out-of-state entrepreneurs are interested in making a profit in Kentucky, something that's a bit disheartening for Auerbach, and made her wish there was more regulation.
"I would hope that local businesses are the ones that end up getting selected so that the people who are cultivating and processing and dispensing are also community residents and are able to feed that money back into the places that they live," said Auerbach.
She said she has a place picked out in East Louisville where she would like to open her dispensary if chosen.
Now, all she can do is wait for the day to arrive, which will most likely be announced Thursday in Gov. Andy Beshear's weekly updates.
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