Once upon a time, Jessica VerSteeg competed for a $1 million prize on the reality show The Amazing Race. Now, the former Miss Iowa is setting her sights on something much bigger – global domination of the cannabis industry.

As the founder of a celebrity-backed cannabis blockchain technology called ParagonCoin (PRG), the 28-year-old “cannapreneur” appears to be destined for big things.

Promoted by rapper The Game, Paragon fundraised over $70 million in its Initial Coin Offering (ICO) strategy. Created to put an end to the cash dilemma currently facing cannabis companies, such as dispensaries and cultivators, the virtual currency is on-track for major growth.

On March 9, 2018, the digital currency was trading 18.3 percent higher than the dollar, with the coin topping $0.31 on top exchanges.

Who is Jessica VerSteeg and what is Paragon blockchain technology?

When Jessica VerSteeg’s NFL player former boyfriend Tyler Jordan Sash, discussed his desires to switch opioid pain relievers for medical cannabis, she turned her nose up at the idea.

A firm believer that cannabis was a “gateway drug,” VerSteeg was under the impression that the green plant was a dangerous narcotic and so, she didn’t feel the need to research its medical potential.

However, things soon changed when Sash became addicted to opioid prescription drugs, of which he used to relieve chronic pain caused by game-related injuries.

At the tender age of 27, the formerly successful NFL player experienced an accidental opioid overdose that cost him his life. Deeply heartbroken and shocked by his sudden death, VerSteeg started researching alternative medications, only to discover cannabis’ healing powers. 

Feeling enlightened and obligated to help patients gain access medical cannabis, the business-minded young female from Iowa founded Paragon.

“It hit me kind of deep because he had asked me multiple times if he could use cannabis to deal with his pain,” she told POPSUGAR.

Now, VerSteeg is married to millionaire Russian technocrat, Egor Lavrov. Her new beau supports her in her mission to create transparency in the cannabis industry.

How does Paragon blockchain technology work?

A potential game-changer for the recreational and medical cannabis market, Paragon is a traceable and transparent type of digital currency that is “building blockchain into the world of cannabis,” according to the company’s Facebook page.

A decentralized cannabis-focused organization comprising two primary areas, Paragon Space and Paragon Online, this cryptocurrency aims to drive the cannabis economy by solving the bank-related problems that plague the ever-evolving industry.

The distributed ledger system works by streamlining records for safe and secure transactions within the fractured cannabis market. All data is recorded chronologically. Once inputted into the economic system, it cannot be altered.

This means that anyone who buys cannabis on the blockchain network will have access to all of the necessary and accurate seed-to-seller information, such as the type(s) of fertilizer used, the lab test results and the plant’s journey to distributors.

VerSteeg’s former business ventures

Prior to the launch of Paragon blockchain technology, VerSteeg founded a medical cannabis delivery company called AuBox. This was back in 2014 and, unfortunately, the business venture didn’t last very long.

AuBox came to an almighty end when VerSteeg found out that particular suppliers were fabricating their medical cannabis lab tests. In an attempt to prevent this problem from arising in the future, Paragon was born.

“We will be more transparent than the liquor industry. More transparent than opiates. More transparent than cigarettes,” VerSteeg declared.

With hard work, commitment and constant innovation, the CEO and co-founder of Paragon Coin hopes that her digital asset will become the main source of currency used to carry out all cannabis-related transactions. VerSteeg also strives to branch out into other areas of the cannabis industry, such as agriculture.