Paragon Coin will revolutionize the cannabis industry Bitcoin gets all of blockchain’s glory, but there are other innovative uses for blockchain that stand to transform the way we do business over the internet. Companies are beginning to see the value of using the open source technology to change the internet from a distrustful, covert operation to a transparent set of processes that give customers the chance to check the validity and authenticity of products bought through online shops.

1. Paragon Coin — Revolutionizing All
Things Cannabis with Blockchain
Paragon Coin will revolutionize the cannabis industry
Bitcoin gets all of blockchain’s glory, but there are other innovative
uses for blockchain that stand to transform the way we do
business over the internet.

2. Companies are beginning to see the value of using the open source
technology to change the internet from a distrustful, covert
operation to a transparent set of processes that give customers the
chance to check the validity and authenticity of products bought
through online shops.
Some of the most exciting and innovative uses of blockchain are
happening in the cannabis industry. As cannabis is legalized,
consumers and governing bodies are looking for ways to ensure
that the products for distribution are both safe and authentic.
Blockchain technology can solve this problem.
Before we delve into its applications in the cannabis industry, let’s
take a quick refresher on how blockchain works.
Blockchain Basics
Blockchain was invented as a way to keep cryptocurrency above
board. It’s a decentralized public ledger that cannot be altered
once information is recorded.
A network of servers provides a repository of public information.
Basically, every time a product changes hands, a record is created
and then verified by the system. When the data is deemed
accurate, a new “block” is added to the chain of information for
that product.
The code is entirely open source, so consumers who wish to check
the public record have complete access. Information is never
overwritten, so the entire transaction history of the product is
available.
This technology allows consumers to authenticate the product and
the user who is claiming to “own” the rights to the product.

3. It prevents cryptocurrency from being counterfeited, but other
applications have arisen. Companies such as Wabi have used the
blockchain to prevent the fraud that happened with counterfeit
baby products in China. Others have used the technology to
decentralize loans and other financial transactions.
Industry Obstacles
Cannabis has been illegal for a long time, and although restrictions
have eased, the industry is struggling to keep up with a patchwork
of laws and regulations. In the US, there are no consistent
regulations, and although the industry is worth billions of dollars,
major logistical obstacles are preventing businesses from taking
advantage of its full potential.
This inefficient system puts the consumer at risk because this kind
of roughshod regulation means fewer protections for consumers
and more danger. It also means that the industry itself struggles
with ever-changing regulations.
Some of these obstacles include obsolete classification laws that
misidentify cannabis. It also means that traditional banking
solutions are practically nonexistent for businesses, making it
challenging to scale companies to a sustainable model.
There are no established standards for purity or for identifying
precisely what kind of product the consumer is buying. Consumers
and regulators also have trouble tracking CBD versus THC
amounts and percentages.
At the very least, consumers need to be able to verify that the
products they are purchasing are legal, clean, and certified. The
fear surrounding the cannabis industry doesn’t inspire confidence,
and officials frequently work with outdated or erroneous

4. information that leaves consumers lacking in quality products,
access to their medicinal needs, and the stigma of purchasing illicit
products from unproven sources.
Legalizing and Standardizing the Industry
Public opinion has mostly tipped in favor of legalization, leaving
governing bodies the task of unifying rules and regulations. As the
industry transitions to legal economy, the door is open for
businesses to flourish.
Blockchain technology allows ordinary citizens to push for logical
regulations and standardized laws across borders. It also provides
an avenue for businesses to bypass traditional financial
institutions to save profits generated from business and to reinvest
in the business without the financial middleman.
This push is one of the most exciting applications of blockchain
technology yet. An organization could easily replicate the success
Wabi coin had in creating a transparent and consumer-driven
product authentication in which consumers have access to both
the initial stamp of authenticity and the entire history of the
product they are purchasing.
Enter Paragon
Paragon is an organization dedicated to the legalization,
standardization, and distribution of cannabis. Their mission is to
remove the stigma of using cannabis, allow businesses to build and
scale their operations in a way that provides a future for business
operations, and to advocate for the areas involved in cannabis
across the board.

5. Paragon supports businesses as they build a reliable operations
model. They also support consumers who wish to have a logical
regulatory process and a way to know for sure that the products
they are purchasing are safe and ethical.
Paragon uses as little fiat currency as possible in order to support
the broader blockchain community. Moreover, Paragon will
exclusively accept their token, PRG, as a means of payment for
services in their Paragon Spaces. The platform is open source so
businesses can build their own public ledgers and incorporate
their business mission and model into Paragon’s cannabis
community.
The long-term goal is to create a transparent seed to sale
verification system, closing loopholes in the patchwork of
regulatory bodies. They also understand the need for a better ID
system, and for certifications for other specifications such as
organic growing conditions, and eco-friendly operations.
Other long-term goals include uniting members in a common
advocacy goal and giving members a voice in an ever-evolving
industry. Members can count on transparent and audited
operations and full support.
Business Model: Advocacy and Transparency
At its core, Paragon is a check and balance on what is still a rogue
industry. It plans to introduce a public ledger for businesses and
all industry-related data through Paragon Chain.
Members have complete freedom to scale and contribute without
getting blocked due to outdated legislation. Users can access data
on products through the Paragon app — which is directly linked to
the Paragon Chain solution of smart-contracts. Businesses within

6. the industry can contribute by participating in the project and
storing their data through Paragon’s supply chain solution.
An innovative part of the company is the introduction of niche
workspaces for industry professionals via Paragon Space. The use
of physical space allows businesses to congregate in relative
freedom to organize, advocate, and exchange ideas. They also want
to unite various legalization efforts through Paragon Online.
Paragon also plans to put to rest the often opposing forces of
patchwork legislation and offer consumers an effective
certification system, a standardized lab system, and a way for
consumers to check those certifications through Paragon’s
platforms.
Smart Contracts
The Smart Contracts concept unites an industry that is fragmented
and still disordered. It makes it easier for the consumer to verify
the product, but also for dispensaries and medical professionals to
verify prescriptions.
For example, an individual downloads the Paragon app and
verifies their identity. They make an appointment with the doctor
who then prescribes the cannabis product and signs the
prescription. The MMJ ID is also approved by the doctor and
records are sent to the dispensary.
From there, the dispensary creates a record. The consumer selects
and verifies a product, including the entire supply chain, and pays
in cash (until the laws change.) From here the record is closed.
Inventory at the dispensary is updated automatically.

7. It uses Ethereum’s advances on the original blockchain technology
to create this system of smart contracts. It’s decentralized,
anonymous, but still open source and verifiable.
It adds an extra layer to Ethereum to help solve problems that are
unique to the industry. It allows for anonymous identity
verification for example, or for doctors to sign prescriptions and
MMJ IDs that go directly to the dispensary.
Also, as conditions and regulations change, contracts can be
continuously updated without the headache.
Uses of Paragon Coin
One of the most significant industry obstacle is the financial
portion. Businesses struggle to find real estate or even an
institution willing to house profits from cannabis sales and
distribution.
While PRG does not operate as a substitute for fiat when it comes
to cannabis sales, it can be used for business to business
transactions for non-cannabis products such as fertilizers,
compost and lighting equipment. Advantageously, transactions
can always be traced back and reviewed for auditing purposes.
In addition to the above, PRG is the exclusive method of payment
for all services and solutions housed within the Paragon Space
ecosystem, from renting a desk to seeking in-house legal counsel.
PRG is also the exclusive method of payment for business seed-to-
sale tracking solutions — and a fee is required for verification and
data publication, so as to prevent network attacks.
Creating Physical Work Spaces: Paragon Space

8. Another innovative feature of Paragon is the creation of brick and
mortar workspaces within districts where such space is legal.
This gives start-ups in the industry access to workspaces in which
Paragon has done the heavy lifting of acquiring and contracting
the space. As the spaces grow, the ability for small businesses to
meet, discuss, and advocate grows easier.
It further facilitates the exchange of information and organizing.
The plan is to expand these spaces across the globe, reducing the
stigma associated with the cannabis trade and further reducing
districts where consumption and distribution are still illegal.
It will be the first large-scale cryptocurrency backed, physical
workspaces. The spaces further support the value of Paragon coin
by only accepting the coin in payment for access to spaces and
other office activities such as printing and other services, snacks,
and anything else members need to function.
To have access to the spaces, members pitch their startup ideas to
the Paragon community, and members up-vote pitches they like.
Winners of up-voting have access to private spaces within the
physical spaces. Others will still have access to the shared areas.
Members will scan a door code, and, provided a wallet has at least
one active Paragon Coin, they will gain access to the space. Other
services are payable as needed, but only in PRG.
Paragon Online
The online community is where the real magic happens. Paragon
seeks to create an equalized space for members of the growing
cannabis industry to gather to make democratic decisions based

9. on the needs of the community. It’s business with a social
conscience.
Community members vote on the direction of Paragon’s business
ventures, advocacy projects, and directly influence the project,
Paragon goals and much more.
It’s a place for members to exchange ideas and information in
pursuit of destigmatizing and supporting each other and the
industry. It will be a place where the foremost advocates gather
and use collective effort to enact real change.
The space will reward active members with physical spaces and
other perks. Paragon wants to be a genuinely democratic
institution as members move forward to build the industry from
the ground up.
This space also increases trust for new consumers as they interact
directly with other users and the businesses distributing various
cannabis products. It’s a way for everyone to come together to
build a transparent economic model with a social conscience.
Each member will have his or her own dashboard to monitor
activities and hold their tokens. Paragon believes that the best way
forward is for networking and open, honest activities. It’s the only
way to create an industry that remains human in the world of
cyberspace.
Members can build their businesses with the support of the
community and have access to a network of business partners and
supporters. Paragon hopes that growing the industry
autonomously will maintain best interest practices for consumers
and encourage continual innovation.

10. Paragon Smart Apps
First, users can track plants by identifying things like mothers and
clones without risking mixing up IDs. The Paragon app also allows
users to track which plants were grown under which conditions,
which died and why, and why plants were moved.
Apps can also track the creation of products including oils, edibles,
and others. Users can record relevant information that the
consumer can check before purchase.
The app could also remove the 24-hour quarantine associated with
moving plants across state lines. It can track delivery, and the final
tag includes the historical record of each plant and product
associated with it.
These services can be integrated with common other apps
included in the cannabis industry with little effort on the part of
businesses and distributors.
Jessica Versteeg
The CEO and Founder: Jessica Versteeg
The creator of this new blockchain partner is Jessica Versteeg. She
got started in the cannabis industry through her upscale
marijuana subscription box located in the San Francisco Bay area,
AuBox. The delivery service was featured in many major
magazines and publications including Marie Claire, Vogue, and
Forbes.
She is dedicated to the cause of legalizing and standardizing the
cannabis industry because she lost someone very close to her to an
overdose of painkillers. She has devoted her life to pursuing

11. cannabis as an alternative to pain management and an answer to
the growing medical opioid addiction crisis.
She believes that the community of Paragon can revolutionize the
industry through advocacy and transparency. She is a former Miss
Iowa, a current model, and a former participant in the Amazing
Race.
The Bottom Line
Paragon stands to be one of the most innovative solutions to come
out of blockchain technology and is virtually ensured success
based on the already billion dollar cannabis industry.
As societies begin to open doors to legalization, Paragon stands to
help business owners set up and scale operations in ways that
ensure a future, and help users become more confident consumers
and advocates.
Participating in Paragon’s new systems is a logical decision for
anyone wishing to become a part of the growing cannabis industry.
The best solutions come from a close network of advocates and
Paragon wants to facilitate this multi-billion dollar industry with a
heart.