The owner of Greenleaf Farms spent the weekend boarding up the storefront at his Jewett City location, the second time he has had to board up one of his businesses this month.
Connecticut State Police are investigating after a group of people vandalized the window and ran away before taking any items from inside.
"If it weren't for the alarm they probably would have loaded up and came out with something," said Brian Vertefeuille, owner of Greenleaf Farms.
There are five Greenleaf Farms in Connecticut that sell CBD and hemp-derived products. Earlier this month, the Norwich location was burglarized.
Get top local stories in Connecticut delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC Connecticut's News Headlines newsletter.
According to Vertefeuille, someone threw a brick through the window and stole CBD. Norwich police are investigating.
Vertefeuille said there was also an incident at his Bridgeport location three months ago. He believes that his storefronts are being targeted because people don't understand the difference between what he sells and marijuana.
"People have misconceptions that all of these vape stores and CBD stores are now selling marijuana and that is not the case at all," Vertefeuille said.
Local
Made legal under the 2018 United States farm bill, Greenleaf Farms sells CBD and hemp-derived products. Those products are different than adult-use cannabis, which recently became legal to possess in Connecticut.
"It looks like weed. It's not weed and that is what I think the general public needs to understand," Vertefeuille explained. "CBD has 0.03% THC per Connecticut statute. Weed, marijuana doesn't have a limit to it."
While it is legal to possess a limited amount of adult-use cannabis in Connecticut, retail locations are not yet up and running in the state.
"We are in the process of licensing those businesses and we expect retail sales to begin by the end of the year or early next year, but as of right now, the only cannabis products that are for sale in Connecticut are for sale for medical marijuana patients," said Kaitlyn Krasselt with the CT Department of Consumer Protection.
Once retail locations do open in Connecticut, Krasselt said that they will be required to follow strict security requirements.
"We don't sell weed. People have to understand - what are you going to get? Papers, a bong, CBD? Come knock on my window. I will always help somebody if they need it," Vertefeuille said.
"I just hope the message gets out that it is not what you think it is," he continued.
