There is a psychedelic renaissance happening right now. Softening of the legal status of cannabis in many countries has started to chip away at our old notions of bad drugs and the war on drugs. The first shift in this is happening with researchers who have finally been allowed to acquire these banned substances to conduct scientific research.
What they’re learning is astonishing, though perhaps not surprising to those who have experienced using psychedelics.
Enter MAPS, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies. MAPS is a non-profit organization that specializes in research and education. Since 1986 they’ve been actively playing a role in the medical, legal and societal changes that have supported psychedelics, marijuana and other compounds.
Over the course of the last 35+ years, MAPS has raised over $135 million dollars for psychedelic research and education. It’s a tremendous contribution. They have developed a lot of programs over those years - from basic introductory lessons about what psychedelics are to participating in scientific research studies on MDMA-assisted therapies.
Research and advocacy like this are a critical part of the normalization of psychedelics and for us to finally unlock all the possible benefits they can bring to the world. It’s thanks to organizations like MAPS that we are seeing progress happening.
MAPS has conducted research on
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Eating disorders
- MDMA effects on healthy people
- Anxiety disorders
- Effects of vaporizers on marijuana
- Long-term effects of ibogaine
- Safety and effectiveness study of ayahuasca for addiction
Research interest is hitting a tipping point. Unlocking the legal barriers to scientific uses of these compounds has many people rushing in to make discoveries in what has become a very hot field. The future is looking brighter thanks in large part to the work and investments that amazing charities like MAPS has been doing.
