There is much confusion around CBD and the staff at Greenleaf Farms at 48 Franklin St. in Norwich educates about 12 people daily on the subject, said owner Brian Vertefeuille during a telephone interview.

The Army veteran said that even though marijuana is legal, it is illegal to sell it unless one is a licensed dispensary. “So people come into my store and they see these big jars full of buds. And they’re like, ‘Oh, this is marijuana.’ No, it’s not. It’s CBD or CBG or CBM, some sort of CBD compound that helps with ailments and inflammation and asthma and cognitive abilities for your frontal lobe. It’s amazing what these products do.”

He said that CBD and marijuana plants are two different plants that look exactly the same.

“They grow exactly the same. They take the same nutrients, sunlight and flower,” he said. “But it’s not the same because CBD is genetically modified to not produce the amount of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) that a normal marijuana plant produces.”

CBD includes over 100 different cannabinoids, which can alleviate aches and pains on an individual basis, Vertefeuille said. “When the CBD compounds are isolated and given to patients, they tend to single out and treat ailments. For example, CBG is strictly for anti-anxiety. CBM is helpful in treating metabolic/eating disorders and regulating diabetes and gastrointestinal issues such as celiac disease and gluten problems. CBN serves as a sleep aid. It acts as a sedative and helps relieve pain and inflammation, especially from conditions of arthritis and Crohn’s disease. All of these are on a patient-by-patient basis.”

Vertefeuille opened Greenleaf Farms in the Sunlight Building in downtown Norwich in September. He also owns a store at 74.5 North Main St. in Jewett City and has affiliate stores at 613 Bank St. in New London and 870 Noble Ave. in Bridgeport.

Jan Tormay, a longtime resident of Norwich, now lives in Westerly.