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It Started as a Dream
In 1986, Rick Doblin founded MAPS with a determination to challenge the prohibition of MDMA because he knew it dismissed science, compassion, and human rights. MAPS began with a conviction that the only way forward was through scientific, FDA-regulated drug development research — even though such research had been blocked around the world for more than a decade.
His dream was bold for its time: a world where MDMA and other psychedelics could be used responsibly alongside therapy to help people heal…and where, eventually, psychedelics would be available in a post-prohibition world for personal and spiritual growth.
What happened next would become more than a dream.
“The day before MDMA was criminalized in 1985, my printer malfunctioned and printed out just five words from a letter to the editor I was writing, ‘become more than a dream.’ That framed page has been on my desk ever since. Forty weeks later, MAPS was born. Forty years later, that dream of legal, prescription access to MDMA-assisted therapy has grown into a global psychedelic renaissance, uniting science, healing, and drug policy reform.”
MAPS’ founding vision set a revolution into motion through regulatory challenges, early clinical research, and a new model for advancing science through public benefit. We sparked a movement that brings together researchers, therapists, policymakers, Veterans, survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, advocates, enthusiasts, seekers, and donors around a shared belief: evidence and compassion belong in the same conversation. What began as a focused effort to correct a wrong policy evolved into a broader mission to reshape how society understands psychedelics.
Forty years later, that same commitment continues to guide the work ahead.
From One Vision to a
Movement of Visionaries
40 Years of Milestones
1985
MDMA Placed in Schedule I
The DEA overruled its own judge and placed MDMA in the most restrictive drug category, banning all therapeutic use and shutting down research.
1986
MAPS Founded
Our founder, Rick Doblin, created MAPS in direct response to the emergency scheduling of MDMA.
1988
MAPS Bulletin Launched
We launched our newsletter, the MAPS Bulletin. The first issue was titled “MDMA Can Become a Legal Medicine.“
1990
First MAPS Conference
We convened “Regulation or Prohibition: Psychedelics in the 1990s.” Speakers included Timothy Leary, Alice Agar Wittine, Terence McKenna, and more.
1992
FDA Accepts First MDMA Protocol
After five rejections, the FDA accepted our Phase 1 MDMA safety study.
1995
Ketamine Research Begins in Russia
MAPS and our colleagues in Russia initiated a study of ketamine-assisted therapy for heroin dependence.
1996
California Legalizes Medical Cannabis
California became the first state to legalize medical cannabis with the passage of Proposition 215.
1997
First Book Published
MAPS published our first book, The Secret Chief: Conversations with a Pioneer of the Underground Psychedelic Therapy Movement by Myron J. Stolaroff.
1999
First MDMA Therapy Trial Begins
MAPS initiated the world’s first clinical trial of MDMA-assisted therapy in Madrid, Spain.
2000
Portugal decriminalizes all drugs
Landmark policy shift towards compassion for people who use drugs.
2002
Flawed Neurotoxicity Paper Published
A widely covered paper falsely claimed MDMA caused brain damage in primates, fueling stigma.
2003
Neurotoxicity Paper Retracted
Researchers had used methamphetamine, not MDMA. The journal Science retracted the paper.
2004
White House Pressures ABC News
The drug czar’s office pressured ABC to pull a documentary portraying MDMA positively.
2007
LSD Therapy Trial Begins in Switzerland
MAPS and our colleague Dr. Peter Gasser launched the first LSD therapy study in over 40 years.
2009
FDA Clears Trial of MDMA for Therapist Training
We received the ability to provide MDMA to therapists as part of their training.
2010
First Psychedelic Science Conference
We launched the first of what would become a bi-annual conference series, Psychedelic Science, in San Francisco. The series continues to this day.
2010
Ibogaine Research Begins
MAPS initiated research into ibogaine-assisted therapy for opioid addiction.
2010
First Phase 2 MDMA Results Published
We published strong results from the first pilot study of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD.
2011
Ayahuasca Addiction Research Begins
We initiated research into ayahuasca-assisted therapy for addiction.
2012
Zendo Project Created
MAPS launched the Zendo Project to provide psychedelic harm reduction at events.
2013
MAPS host Psychedelic Science 2013
We convened our second large-scale conference, Psychedelic Science 2013, in San Francisco, California.
2014
First LSD Study Results in 40+ Years
We published results from the first LSD-assisted therapy study since the 1970s.
2014
$2 Million Colorado Cannabis Grant
The state of Colorado awarded us $2 million for medical marijuana research.
2014
MAPS Public Benefit Corporation Created
MAPS established the MAPS Public Benefit Corporation to pursue FDA approval of MDMA.
2016
MDMA Couples Therapy Study Begins
MAPS launched a study integrating MDMA-assisted therapy with couples therapy for PTSD.
2017
FDA Grants Breakthrough Therapy Designation
The FDA designated MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD as a breakthrough therapy.
2017
MAPS hosts Psychedelic Science 2017
We held the 3rd iteration of our Psychedelic Science conference series in Oakland, California.
2018
Michael Pollan's How to Change Your Mind
The bestseller featured MAPS’ research and introduced millions to the potential of psychedelics.
2019
First TED Talk on Psychedelics
Our Founder Rick Doblin, Ph.D. delivered the first official TED Talk about psychedelics.
2020
FDA Permits MDMA Expanded Access
The FDA agreed to let patients with severe PTSD access MDMA-assisted therapy outside of clinical trials.
2020
Oregon Legalizes Psilocybin Therapy
Oregon became the first U.S. state to legalize supervised psilocybin treatment.
2021
Phase 3 Trial Shows Positive Results
MAPS announced positive results from the first Phase 3 trial of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD.
2021
MDMA Synthesis Placed in Public Domain
MAPS placed a fully validated, multi-kilogram MDMA synthesis process in the public domain.
2021
New York Times Front Page Feature
MAPS’ work was featured in a front-page article in the New York Times.
2021
$12.9 Million Michigan Cannabis Grant
Michigan awarded MAPS and our research colleagues $12.9 million to expand cannabis research for Veterans with PTSD.
2022
Colorado Legalizes Psychedelic Treatment
Colorado became the second state to allow supervised treatment with natural medicines.
2023
First Therapist Training Outside U.S.
We launched our International Therapist Training Program to equip care providers outside of the U.S.
2023
Psychedelic Science 2023
We convened the world’s largest psychedelic conference, Psychedelic Science 2023, drawing over 12,500 attendees.
2024
Denver First Responder Training
MAPS created and distributed training materials for Denver first responders in navigating psychedelic crises.
2025
Ohio Emergency Responders Trained
MAPS and our colleagues at the Ohio State University created psychedelic crisis training materials for their more than 127,000 emergency responders.
2025
Texas Appropriates $50M for Ibogaine Research
Texas became the first state to dedicate taxpayer funds to psychedelic research.
2025
PS2025 Serves as a Catalyst for Policy and Research Announcements
With more than 8,000 attendees, PS2025 was the site of major announcements and added hundreds of video recordings to The Virtual Trip.
2026
MAPS Turns 40
This year, we are celebrating four decades of building a movement and advancing Healing For All.
The Next 40 Years Start Now
Every chapter of MAPS’ story was made possible by people who believed the future could be different. The next chapter is no exception. Your support today helps ensure that 40 years of progress leads to lasting, meaningful change.
Proving the Vision Is More Than a Dream
MAPS built our research legacy the hard way. At a time when psychedelic research was sidelined and funding was scarce, we pursued studies that institutions weren’t willing to touch — working through regulatory resistance, public skepticism, miseducation, and years of slow, meticulous approvals.
Progress meant designing rigorous trials, earning trust with oversight agencies, and holding a steady line between scientific integrity and cultural controversy. The result wasn’t just data: it was proof that careful, ethical research could reopen a field once pushed to the margins.
Over four decades, MAPS has advanced landmark clinical research in psychedelic-assisted therapies, supported foundational cannabis studies, and helped establish an evidence base that reshaped global perception of psychedelics. Our work contributed to today’s standards for safety, therapist training, protocol design, professional and public education, and policy reform while expanding what legitimate mental health treatment could include.
40 Years of Stories
Dale Armstrong, M.D.
Medical Director, Acceptance and Change for Health
Lori Tipton
Trial Participant
Dr. David Nutt, D.M., FMedSci
Professor of Neuropsychopharmacology; Imperial College London
Tom Shroder
Author, Acid Test: LSD, Ecstasy, and the Power to Heal
Donald Abrams, M.D.
Professor Emeritus of Medicine; University of California San Francisco
Pedram Dara
Trial Participant; Founder & Director, Psychedelic Lived Experiences
Brad Burge
Founder; Integration Communications | Former MAPS Staff
Dream Mullick
Film Maker
Ilsa Jerome, Ph.D.
Former MAPS Staff
Tony Macie
Veteran Participant
William King
Early Collaborator
One Organization, Opening Doors for Hundreds
Our success isn’t measured by what we accomplished alone, but by what we have made possible for the field. Over the decades, we have built connections across the medical, the mystical, the marginalized, and the mainstream to advance research, education, and care around the world. We have long understood that lasting change depends on ecosystem strength — investing in people, projects, and partnerships that move the field forward together. The most important progress happens not in isolation, but through the relationships we build and sustain.
That commitment to connection shows up everywhere: in our Psychedelic Science™ conference that convenes thousands across disciplines; in the pages of the MAPS Bulletin that document the movement’s evolution; and in professional networks that link researchers, therapists, policymakers, patients, seekers, and advocates. Alongside community-building, we have raised more than $150 million to power this work — distributing tens of millions in funding to over 100 psychedelic initiatives and thousands of people worldwide. By resourcing the field and convening its leaders, MAPS helps turn shared purpose into coordinated progress.
40 Years in Numbers
1 billion
People living with a mental health condition worldwide
70%
Never receive effective mental health care
$5 trillion
Global cost of mental health conditions every year
One
Dream to bring a shared vision to life
45
Studies conducted by MAPS
44
Countries with MAPS-trained mental health providers
70+
Organizations funded through MAPS
35,395
People who invested in that dream
Built for the Movement, Not the Moment
In 40 years MAPS has advanced change with care, not shortcuts. From rigorous therapist trainings held to the highest standards to drug policy reform grounded in evidence and equity, our future is built for a post-prohibition future. Real progress means choosing integrity over speed, long-term public trust over quick wins, and systems that center people’s needs over headlines that fade. We are celebrating the thoughtful infrastructure and worthy relationships that have been built over four decades.
Looking ahead, MAPS continues to shape the future of psychedelic research and policy through precedent-setting initiatives, building professional capacity for psychedelic care, and gathering community to grow the movement. Our historic focus on MDMA research is complemented by ibogaine implementation efforts, cannabis rescheduling advocacy, our policy guidebook that shares tested frameworks and best practices for responsible regulation, and more.
Just as important is who that future serves: communities carrying the highest burden of trauma, but with fewer resources to address it. We remain committed to serving communities most impacted by prohibition, conflict, and systemic marginalization, ensuring that access, opportunity, and leadership reflect those who are historically excluded from care and decision-making.
The Future Needs You
Imagine a world where psychedelics are accessible to anyone who needs them. Where drug policy is shaped by evidence and compassion. Where healing happens in community, not criminalized in the shadows.
That world is achievable — but it isn’t guaranteed. MAPS is building the bridges to a post-prohibition future: training therapists and first responders, strengthening public education, and convening global movement leaders through gatherings like the Psychedelic Science Conference. The path forward demands rigor, coordination, and care. MAPS will continue to build on its foundation, ensuring progress is ethical and inclusive. 
Join us in creating a more psychedelic world well into the future.
Because what feels impossible alone is more than possible together.
Make It Possible Today.
What feels impossible alone is more than possible together. Your gift fuels the research, training, and advocacy that has defined 40 years — and builds the next chapter.
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