FINANCIAL SUPPORT AVAILABLE
F OR
DEVELOPMENT OF
NIH GRANT APPLICATIONS
F OR
MEDICAL MARIJUANA RESEARCH

The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) has $10,000 remaining to
support the development of NIH grant applications for the investigation of any potential medical
use of inhaled marijuana other than for the treatment of AIDS wasting (which MAPS has already
supported). MAPS is willing to allocate up to $5,000 to support a single NIH grant application for
medical marijuana research.

On February 4, 1997, MAPS donated $5,000 to UC-San Francisco to support Dr. Donald
Abrams' efforts to prepare an NIH grant application for a study investigating the use of marijuana
in the treatment of weight loss associated with the AIDS wasting syndrome. Dr. Abrams and his
co-investigators will be submitting an NIH grant application for review in the May 1, 1997 grant
cycle. This will be Dr. Abrams' second attempt to obtain an NIH grant for his research. Dr.
Abrams' first NIH application, which was also supported by a $5,000 donation from MAPS, was
rejected. Dr. Abrams' first NIH grant application and the comments of the peer review committee
of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) can be found on the MAPS
web site at http//www.maps.org/mmj/.

NIDA's current policy of providing marijuana only to studies which have been approved through
the NIH grant proposal process was developed in response to Dr. Abrams' original FDA-approved
protocol for which NIDA refused to provide marijuana. Dr. Abrams' original protocol along with
NIDA's critique of the protocol design and Dr. Abrams' and Rick Doblin's reply to NIDA's
critique can also be found on the MAPS web site.

MAPS would prefer to support research teams able to submit their grant applications to NIH for
review in the May 1, 1997 grant cycle. Due to the fact that more time may be required to develop a
rigorous protocol, MAPS will also consider supporting research teams able to submit applications
to NIH by October 1, 1997.

To request financial support from MAPS for the development of an NIH grant application for
medical marijuana research, contact Rick Doblin or Sylvia Thyssen, both of whom are here at the
conference or can be reached at MAPS: 704-334-1798, FAX 334-1799, email: maps@vnet.net,
1801 Tippah Avenue, Charlotte, NC, 28205. The MAPS website is at http://www.maps.org.

MAPS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation chartered in 1986 as a membership-based research and educational organization
focusing on the development of beneficial, socially-sanctioned uses of psychedelic drugs and marijuana. MAPS pursues its
mission by helping scientific researchers design, obtain governmental approval for, fund, conduct and report on psychedelic
and marijuana research in human volunteers. For more information, please refer to address, numbers and website above.