Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies 1337886 225152460 2008-07-12T04:19:31Z Emesee 4543007 space between period and reference removed The '''Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies''' ('''MAPS''') is a [[United States|U.S.]]-based [[non-profit organization]] that assists scientists to design, fund, obtain approval for and report on studies into the risks and benefits of [[psychedelic drug]]s (including [[MDMA]], [[ibogaine]] and [[cannabis (drug)|cannabis]]). MAPS' mission is to develop these drugs into FDA-approved prescription medicines, and to educate the public honestly about their risks and benefits. MAPS has often been at odds with the [[National Institute on Drug Abuse]] (NIDA) and the [[Drug Enforcement Administration]] (DEA) in their efforts to research the medicinal purposes of cannabis. MAPS founder [[Rick Doblin]] claims that NIDA is "scared of the research" MAPS is performing.<ref name="Respectable Reefer">{{cite news|last=Greenberg|first=Gary|title=Respectable Reefer|publisher=Mother Jones|date=[[2005-11-01]]|url=http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2005/11/Respectable_Reefer-3.html|accessdate=2007-04-03}}</ref> MAPS has a $5 million, 5 year plan to conduct the research necessary to obtain FDA approval for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy as a treatment for [[post-traumatic stress disorder]] (PTSD). In addition to its research efforts, MAPS has recently published six books, and publishes a quarterly journal, the MAPS Bulletin. The organization was founded by [[Rick Doblin]] in 1986. ==Achievements== Since 1995, MAPS has disbursed over three million dollars to research and educational projects and has: * Obtained FDA and IRB approval to study MDMA-assisted psychotherapy in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Charleston, SC with similar research projects now underway in [[Switzerland]] and [[Israel]]. * Sponsored efforts by Prof. Lyle Craker, Medicinal Plant Program, [[UMass Amherst]] Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, to obtain a license from the Drug Enforcement Administration for a marijuana production facility. * Sponsored pioneering analytical research into the effects of the marijuana vaporizer, leading to the first human study of marijuana vaporizers conducted by Dr. [[Donald Abrams]], UC San Francisco. * Opened an FDA Drug Master File for MDMA. This is required before any drug can be researched in FDA-approved human studies. * Assisted Dr. Charles Grob to design, obtain approval for and fund the first FDA-approved study in the U.S. to administer MDMA to humans. * Assisted in the design and is funding the world's first government-approved scientific study of the therapeutic use of MDMA (Spain). * Sponsored studies to analyze the purity and potency of street samples of "Ecstasy" and medical marijuana. * Funded the successful efforts of Dr. Donald Abrams to obtain approval for the first human study in 15 years into the therapeutic use of marijuana, along with a $1 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. * Obtained [[Orphan Drug]] designation from the FDA for smoked marijuana in the treatment of AIDS Wasting Syndrome. * Funded the synthesis of psilocybin for the first FDA-approved study in twenty-five years to evaluate [[psilocybin]] in a patient population. * Supported long-term follow-up studies of pioneering research with [[LSD]] and psilocybin originally conducted in the 1950s and 1960s. Currently, MAPS has been given a [[Controlled Substances Act|Schedule I]] license to conduct research with [[Ecstacy (drug)|MDMA]] on veterans and survivors of physical or sexual assault who are suffering from [[post traumatic stress disorder]], as well as with advanced-stage [[Cancer]] patients who are experiencing anxiety associated with this diagnosis, the first licenses the [[Drug Enforcement Administration|DEA]] has granted for MDMA psychotherapy research. A [[clinical study]] of these treatment of [[cluster headaches]] using low doses of the tryptamine [[psilocybin]] (found in magic mushrooms) is being developed by researchers at [[Harvard Medical School]], [[McLean Hospital]] in conjunction with MAPS.<!-- --><ref>{{cite web | author= | title= Research into psilocybin and LSD as potential treatments for people with cluster headaches | work=LSD and Psilocybin Research | url=http://www.maps.org/research/cluster/psilo-lsd/index.html | date= | publisher=Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies | accessdate=2006-09-22}}</ref><!-- --><ref>"Response of Cluster Headache to Psilocybin and LSD" Chapter 5 in "Psychedelic Medicine: New Evidence for Hallucinogens as Treatment" Michael Winkelman and Thomas B. Roberts (editors) (2007) Westport, CT: Praeger/Greenwood.</ref> ==References== <div class="references-small"> <references/> </div> ==External links== *[http://www.maps.org/ MAPS Website] *[http://www.maps.org/news MAPS Monthly News] *[http://www.maps.org/news-letters/ MAPS Bulletin Online] *[http://www.maps.org/catalog MAPS Online Store] *[http://www.maps.org/support.html MAPS Funding Priorities] *[http://www.litmuszine.com/feature/side_5.07.07.html Interview with Rick Doblin at LitmusZine] [[Category:Psychedelic research]] [[Category:Non-profit organizations based in the United States]] [[Category:Drug policy organizations]] [[Category:Research organizations]] [[Category:Organizations established in 1986]] {{nonprofit-org-stub}} {{US-org-stub}} {{hallucinogen-stub}}