Marin: Sixth Subject Enrolled and Treated

On November 30, 2015, the sixth subject received their first experimental treatment in our ongoing study of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for anxiety associated with life-threatening illness. This subject was enrolled on November 4. Led by Principal Investigator Phil Wolfson, M.D.,
with co-therapist Julane Andries, LMFT, in Marin, Calif., this study will treat 18 subjects suffering from anxiety related to a life-threatening disease that is either ongoing or in remission with a possibility of recurrence. “I lost my oldest son Noah to leukemia when he was nearly 17. He taught me about the passion to live and to try anything, no matter how difficult, to keep his life going,” recalls Dr. Wolfson in his Winter 2015 MAPS Bulletin article. “Our current study with 18 subjects embraces Noah’s path. His inspiration guides my work with those who struggle with life-threatening illnesses.” We currently expect all experimental sessions in this study will be completed in late 2016.

Learn more…

Social Anxiety in Autistic Adults: Tenth Participant Treated, 11th Enrolled

On November 14, 2015, the 10th participant was treated in our ongoing study of MDMA-assisted therapy for social anxiety in 12 adults on the autism spectrum. The 11th subject was enrolled on November 15. We plan to enroll one final subject in this study. “Unlike the PTSD studies, the social anxiety study includes interactions with the researchers that are intended to boost social confidence and provide practice opportunities to try new social skills in a safe setting,” report Principal Investigator Charles Grob, M.D., and Co-Investigator Alicia Danforth, Ph.D., in their new Winter 2015 MAPS Bulletin article. “Additionally, participants complete a video-based assessment of non-verbal social cues that involves watching actors in various social interactions.” Sponsored by MAPS, this is a collaborative study between MAPS and the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, with blood plasma biomarker analysis being conducted by researchers at Stanford University.

Learn more at mdma-autism.org…

Find perfect gifts, new products, rare art, and discounts up to 40% in the MAPS Store Winter Sale! Supplies are limited—the sale ends January 7 at midnight PST.

To Fathom Hell or Soar Angelic by Ben Sessa

30% OFF UNTIL JANUARY 7
NEW!

Paperback | 312 pages
Published by Psychedelic Press UK

 $10.99  $7.69 | Now available

Signed Light Portrait of Sasha and Ann Shulgin by Dean Chamberlain

10% OFF UNTIL JANUARY 7

This light portrait of psychedelic luminaries Ann and Sasha Shulgin is the third piece from Dean Chamberlain’s “Psychedelic Pioneers” series. Made in 2000 at the Shulgins’ home, a limited edition of 50 prints were created and signed by the Shulgins and the artist.

Chamberlain’s images are created entirely in the camera, with no computer manipulation. His light painting technique involves working with his camera and subject in completely dark spaces. Using extremely long exposures in sessions that often extend to four or five hours, he moves through the composition space with a flashlight and colored gels illuminating each individual element.

100% of the profits from the sale of these prints will support MAPS’ ongoing MDMA research.

Each piece measures 11×14 inches and is printed with archival pigment on fine art matte paper.

$1,500  $1,350 | Now available

Check out what’s new during the MAPS Store Winter Sale!

Photo by Ben Harper

Report: Catharsis on the Mall: A Vigil for Healing the Drug War

On Saturday, November 21, 2015, an interactive art installation dedicated to victims of the war on drugs was burned in the shadow of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., during Catharsis on the Mall: A Vigil for Healing the Drug War. This multi-day event took place during the 2015 International Drug Policy Reform Conference, and was co-sponsored by MAPS with support from the local Burning Man community and Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps. The event featured nationally recognized speakers, exhibits, art, community building, music, dance, and volunteers for MAPS’ Zendo Project psychedelic harm reduction service. “The Temple of Essence was made to look like a jail cell with the walls covered in a blackboard on which people could write personal notes about their pain and suffering from the Drug War,” reports MAPS Founder and Executive Director Rick Doblin, Ph.D. “As the burn took place at midnight on Saturday night, the temple exterior fell away to reveal the jail cell which then itse
lf burned away. At sunrise on Sunday morning, as the DJ continued to play, we marveled that the event actually took place. Dreams can become more than a dream.”

Read about Catharsis on the Mall in the Burning Man Journal | Watch the video… | View photos

WEBINAR

Psychedelic Science and Spirituality: How to Apply What We’re Learning to Your Life: Now through December 16, 2015

In this unique course from MAPS and Evolver Learning Lab, you will explore the frontier of current knowledge about psychedelics and spirituality, learn how researchers are studying these fascinating compounds, and discover how you can help create contexts for the safe and beneficial use of psychedelics for healing, spirituality, and personal growth. Brad Burge of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) has invited a diverse and fascinating group of experts to help you understand, integrate, and learn to use insights from this transformative field.

Learn more and register…

Ibogaine for the World Panel Discussion and Benefit Concert: December 12, 2015, Mill Valley, CA

Hear expert panelists speak about ibogaine and its potential for opiate detoxification. Panelists include Amy Emerson of MAPS; Mexico-based iboga therapist Christopher Laurance; a patient from Genesis Ibogaine Clinic in Rosarito, Mexico; Vicka Corey, Ph.D., of Brain Explained; Dr. HIPpocrates of underground press fame; Eugene Schoenfeld, M.D.; and Dana Beal, a long-time advocate for psychedelic harm reduction and the medical use of ibogaine. MAPS is fiscal sponsor of this special evening.

Learn more and register…

Global Ibogaine Conference: March 14-16, 2016, Tepoztlán, Mexico

The 2016 Global Ibogaine Conference will convene experts from around the world to discuss ibogaine therapy, the climate of global drug policy, and the sustainability and traditional uses of Tabernanthe iboga. Speakers will include MAPS-sponsored ibogaine researcher Thomas Kingsley Brown, Ph.D.

Learn more and register…

Psychedelic Science 2017: April 19-24, 2017, Oakland, CA

Mark your calendars! Psychedelic Science is coming back to the San Francisco Bay Area. The conference will return to the Oakland Marriott City Center in California from April 19-24, 2017. The conference will feature the latest findings in the psychedelic research community and is expected to sell out early. We are incredibly excited to start coordinating this monumental event. We will announce ticket sales, as well as opportunities to participate, closer to the date. For past conference information, speaker videos, and more from Psychedelic Science 2013, visit psychedelicscience.org.

Learn more…

Help the Women’s Visionary Congress Reclaim Women’s Wisdom

Since 2006, the Women’s Visionary Congress (WVC) has been providing much-needed balance in the expanding conversation about psychedelics and consciousness. WVC supports the cultivation and preservation of both contemporary and ancestral wise woman traditions across global cultures, and hosts community conversations about the safe and respectful exploration of non-ordinary states of awareness. As WVC takes their next steps, they invite you to help strengthen and integrate the community for decades to come.

Learn how you can help…

Brazilian Scientists Launch Crowdfunding Campaign for MDMA/PTSD Research

From Plantando Consciencia: “Our main goal is to do a small proof-of-concept study in Brazil in 2016, and then to join MAPS in its international Phase 3 [MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD] study in 2017 [or 2018]. For the first study, we already have government approval from CONEP, the group that regulates and oversees clinical trials in Brazil. We have permission to start the study with four patients as soon as we receive the MDMA. We will thus start MDMA-assisted psychotherapy in Brazil, which could benefit thousands of victims of urban violence.”

Learn more…

Drug Policy Alliance Hiring Novel Psychoactive Substances Fellow

Drug war hysteria has fueled the media’s spread of misinformation on so-called “synthetic drugs,” which are more accurately known as a group as “novel psychoactive substances,” or NPS. This hysteria has in turn led to terrible policymaking, with substances being banned and harsh penalties enacted with little review or opposition. In order to keep up with media coverage and new laws popping up in states across the country, the Drug Policy Alliance is looking for an individual who is interested in monitoring these issues and coordinating strategies and responses. The main focus will be NPS that are most frequently in the news: synthetic cannabinoids like K2 & Spice (among others), synthetic cathinones like alpha-PVP (“flakka”), and other substances like kratom.

Learn more…

Survey: Psychedelic Experiences Related to Death and Dying

The Psilocybin Research Project team at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine is conducting an anonymous online survey of experiences that fundamentally altered beliefs or understanding about death and dying that occurred after taking a classic hallucinogen (e.g., psilocybin mushrooms, LSD, ayahuasca, mescaline, DMT, etc.).

Learn more and participate…