![]() | This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: Parts of this page have not been updated since the early 2010s. MAPS's recent work, such as their MDMA-assisted psychotherapy studies and pending New Drug Application, has not been listed..(February 2024) |
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Abbreviation | MAPS ![]() |
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Established | 1986 ![]() |
Founders | Rick Doblin ![]() |
Types | nonprofit organization ![]() |
Legal status | 501(c)(3) organization ![]() |
Country | United States ![]() |
Revenue | 23,580,425 United States dollar (2021) ![]() |
Total Assets | 92,188,866 United States dollar (2021) ![]() |
Website | maps![]() |
The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) is an American nonprofit organization working to raise awareness and understanding of psychedelic substances. MAPS was founded in 1986 by Rick Doblin and is now based in San Jose, California.
MAPS helps scientists design, fund, and obtain regulatory approval for studies of the safety and effectiveness of a number of controlled substances. MAPS works closely with government regulatory authorities worldwide such as the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to ensure that all of its sponsored research protocols conform to ethical and procedural guidelines for clinical drug research. Included in MAPS' research efforts are MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); LSD and psilocybin for the treatment of anxiety, cluster headaches, and depression associated with end-of-life issues; ibogaine for the treatment of opiate addiction, ayahuasca for the treatment of drug addiction and PTSD; medical cannabis for PTSD; and alternative delivery systems for medical cannabis such as vaporizers and water pipes. MAPS officials say the organization's ultimate goal is to establish a network of clinics where these and other treatments can be provided together with other therapies under the guidance of trained, licensed physicians and therapists. [1] In December 2023, MAPS submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. [2]
In addition to sponsoring scientific research, MAPS organizes continuing medical education (CME) conferences, sponsors and presents lectures and seminars on the state of psychedelic and medical marijuana research, provides psychedelic harm reduction services through the Zendo Project at events such as music festivals and Burning Man, and publishes a triannual magazine-style publication, the MAPS Bulletin, with updates about its ongoing research efforts, legal struggles, and educational initiatives. MAPS also publishes books dealing with the science, history, and culture of psychedelic research and psychedelic therapy. [3]
Anticipating that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) would move to criminalize MDMA in light of the drug's increasing popularity in recreational use, Rick Doblin, Alise Agar and Debby Harlow organized a nonprofit group called Earth Metabolic Design Laboratories (EMDL) to advocate for the potential therapeutic use of MDMA. By 1984 the DEA had announced its intention to designate MDMA as a Schedule I substance, a categorization that would greatly restrict and regulate the drug's availability, as well as indicate that it held no accepted medical use and a high abuse potential. [4]
EMDL organized supporters to petition the DEA for a scheduling hearing regarding MDMA. George Greer, Lester Grinspoon, Professor James Bakalar, and Professor Thomas Roberts contributed to the argument that MDMA belonged in Schedule III, a category that would more readily enable future research and permit the continuation of its use in psychotherapy. Despite such efforts, the DEA pursued emergency scheduling in 1985, citing an imminent risk to public health.[ citation needed ]
As MDMA was now deemed illegal, held in the same category as such substances as heroin, the only way for it to be employed in scientific inquiry would be through the lengthy and expensive FDA approval process. Holding the belief that MDMA had the unique potential both to aid psychotherapy and eventually to become a prescription medicine, Rick Doblin sought to gain incorporation for MAPS as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and educational organization. The founding of MAPS was a primary step toward the future envisioning of what Doblin has called a "nonprofit psychedelic-pharmaceutical company." [5] Chartered in 1986, MAPS has since contributed over 12 million dollars towards the scientific study of psychedelics and cannabis in therapeutic applications. [6] [7]
Since 1986, MAPS has distributed over $20 million to fund psychedelics and medical cannabis research and education. These include:
MAPS is governed by a board of directors including John Gilmore, David Bronner, Robert J. Barnhart, and Rick Doblin. Ashawna Hailey served on the board until her death in 2011.
MAPS is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) research and educational organization, funded by donations from individuals and foundations. [15] Donations to MAPS can be restricted to fund a specific project, or be unrestricted. [16] MAPS also receives revenue from conferences and events, such as the Psychedelic Science conference, as well as from the sale of books, merchandise, and art. [17] With a policy of transparency in financial matters, MAPS publishes a detailed annual financial report. [18] On August 20, 2020, having raised $30 million in non-profit donations in less than six months, MAPS and the Psychedelic Science Funders Collaborative (PSFC) announced the completion of the Capstone Campaign, a non-profit fundraising effort to fund the final research required to seek U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). [19] [20]
![]() | This section contains too many or overly lengthy quotations .(February 2010) |
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has a government granted monopoly on the production of cannabis for medical research purposes. [21] In the past, the institute has refused to supply marijuana to researchers who had obtained all other necessary federal permits. Medical marijuana researchers and activists claim that NIDA, which is not supposed to be a regulatory organization, does not have the authority to effectively regulate who does and doesn't get to do research with medical marijuana. Jag Davies of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) writes in MAPS Bulletin:
Currently, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has a monopoly on the supply of research-grade marijuana, but no other Schedule I drug, that can be used in FDA-approved research. NIDA uses its monopoly power to obstruct research that conflicts with its vested interests. MAPS had two of its FDA-approved medical marijuana protocols rejected by NIDA, preventing the studies from taking place. MAPS has also been trying without success for almost four years to purchase 10 grams of marijuana from NIDA for research into the constituents of the vapor from marijuana vaporizers, a non-smoking drug delivery method that has already been used in one FDA-approved human study.
— [22]
NIDA administers a contract with the University of Mississippi to grow the nation's only legal cannabis crop for medical and research purposes, [23] including the Compassionate Investigational New Drug program. United States federal law registers cannabis as a Schedule I drug. Medical marijuana researchers typically prefer to use high-potency marijuana, but NIDA's National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse has been reluctant to provide cannabis with high THC levels, citing safety concerns: [23]
Most clinical studies have been conducted using cannabis cigarettes with a potency of 2-4% THC. However, it is anticipated that there will be requests for cannabis cigarettes with a higher potency or with other mixes of cannabinoids. For example, NIDA has received a request for cigarettes with an 8% potency. The subcommittee notes that very little is known about the clinical pharmacology of this higher potency. Thus, while NIDA research has provided a large body of literature related to the clinical pharmacology of cannabis, research is still needed to establish the safety of new dosage forms and new formulations. In the most recent rejection of medical marijuana by the Federal Government, the DEA denied Professor Craker, Valerie Corral, and MAPS request to end the federal governments monopoly on medical marijuana production and research.
— [24]
Major events in recent proceedings are notable, as in the 2007 ruling by Administrative Law Judge Mary Ellen Bittner, wherein she recommended that Craker receive a license to grow marijuana for research and that NIDA dismantle its monopoly. The DEA in response overturned the recommended ruling in January 2009, and later denied Craker's Motion to Reconsider in December 2010. In March 2011, Craker's lawyers submitted their final brief in the case. MAPS is pursuing efforts to have the DEA's final ruling rescinded. [9] A detailed timeline of MAPS' attempts to gain access to research-grade marijuana is available on the MAPS website.
In 2016, the Obama administration DEA announced their intent to grant additional licenses to marijuana growers for research, ending the NIDA monopoly on federally legal marijuana. [25] The DEA finalized the proposed rule in early 2020. [26]
A clinical participant in MAPS's phase 2 trials of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, Meaghan Buisson, was inappropriately cuddled and spooned by a husband-and-wife pair of therapists while on MDMA during one of her therapy sessions. [27] [28] [29] A few months later, Buisson began living with the pair, Dr. Donna Dryer and Dr. Richard Yensen, in their home on a remote Canadian island for purposes of undergoing more therapy. [27] [30] Buisson eventually entered a sexual relationship with Yensen, allegedly under the guise of it being exposure therapy. [31] [27] The relationship continued for over a year. [30] [31] In 2018, Buisson filed a civil lawsuit alleging that Yensen had repeatedly sexually assaulted her. [27] [28] The suit was settled out of court. [27]
Upon eventually learning of the ethical violation, MAPS cut ties with the therapists, reported the incident to health authorities, issued a public statement about it, gave Buisson US$15,000 to obtain therapy while her civil case against Yensen was ongoing, and instituted a new code of ethics for the trials that explicitly prohibited sexual contact between participants and therapists. [27] [32] [33] [28] A few years later, the incident was further reported on by Psymposia in their podcast series Cover Story: Power Trip, in which they strongly criticize MAPS. [27] [34] [29] In addition, shortly after the podcast, Psymposia and Buisson released video excerpts of Buisson experiencing the inappropriate physical contact that had been recorded during her therapy session. [35] [32] [31] The videos had been voluntarily given to Buisson by MAPS when she had asked for them previously. [32] MAPS has been criticized for missing the video-recorded ethical violation and for not viewing the videos until years after it became aware of the incident. [35] [32] [36]
In a civil claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court in 2018, Buisson alleges she was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Yensen, with Dryer's knowledge, while in treatment with the couple. [...] The civil claim has since been settled out of court on undisclosed terms, but MAPS has acknowledged that Yensen carried on an "unethical" sexual relationship with Buisson and said Dryer knew but failed to report it to any authorities. The organization has cut ties with both Yensen and Dryer.
Shortly before publishing its statement, MAPS created a Code of Ethics to explicitly prohibit sexual contact between participants enrolled in the study and the professionals providing their care.
The videos were released last week through New York magazine's podcast Cover Story: Power Trip, which explores the growing field of psychedelic therapy.