GCOM And The Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission Launch Decentralized Identity Proof Of Concept

GCOM, a technology company that specializes in outcome-driven solutions for state and local governments, and the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission announced the creation of a self-sovereign identity-based medical marijuana card. This proof of concept marks the first of many decentralized identity initiatives that the State of Maryland will undertake in partnership with GCOM.

Traditional identity solutions store residents’ personally identifiable information in centralized government databases. The aggregation of personally identifiable information into centralized government databases make state and local governments a prime target for cyber attacks. According to the Maryland State and Local Government Cybersecurity 2021 Analysis and Recommendations, a single cyber attack against Baltimore City government in 2021 cost an estimated $18 million. Ransomware attacks on MedStar and Baltimore County Public Schools also wreaked havoc in Maryland: thousands were unable to access necessary healthcare services, and 115,000 students were shut out of classes.

To address these challenges, the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission partnered with GCOM to develop a decentralized identity solution: a medical marijuana digital registration card. Built on GCOM’s Decentralized Identity for Government platform, the solution leverages distributed ledger technology that allows the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission to independently verify residents’ personally identifiable information shared through unique, tamper-proof communication channels and without storing or managing any data. The result is reduced risk of fraud and data theft, improvement of agency efficiency in serving residents, and a faster turnaround time.

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