MAPS and nine other non-profits receive $82,766 each from reddit donate initiative
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Brad Burge, MAPS
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SANTA CRUZ, CALIF. – On February 26, 2015, the community news website reddit awarded $82,765.95 to the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and nine other non-profit organizations chosen by the reddit community. We express our profound appreciation to reddit and the reddit community for supporting psychedelic and medical marijuana research and education.
From February 18 to February 25, 2015, over 80,000 reddit users cast more than 250,000 votes for their favorite charities to each receive 1% of reddit’s advertising revenue receipts from 2014, or $82,765.95. Thanks to an outpouring of support from the reddit community, MAPS was ranked #6 out of the top 10 non-profit organizations, chosen from over 8,000 nominees.
The gift will help MAPS complete Phase 2 clinical trials, and prepare for Phase 3 trials, of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). MAPS currently projects Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD in 2021.
In addition to conducting scientific research, MAPS also maintains a strong public education program, including facilitating conversations on social media platforms such as reddit. On February 11, 2015, MAPS hosted a public “Ask Me Anything” session on reddit that reached the site’s front page, received over 1,900 comments, and provided 134 responses from MAPS staff about the risks and benefits of psychedelics and marijuana.
The wide variety of progressive organizations chosen demonstrates the reddit community’s commitment to supporting freedom of consciousness and information. In addition to MAPS (#6), the winning non-profit organizations include the Electronic Frontier Foundation (#1), Planned Parenthood Federation of America (#2), Doctors Without Borders (#3), Erowid Center (#4), Wikimedia Foundation (#5), NPR (#7), Free Software Foundation (#8), Freedom From Religion Foundation (#9), and Tor Project Inc. (#10). Congratulations to each of these organizations—thank you for your important work!
Since its founding in 1986, MAPS has disbursed over $20 million for psychedelic therapy and medical marijuana research and education, all donated by individuals and family foundations.
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