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Results Published, Studies Starting,
and Happy Birthday to Albert Hofmann:
MAPS Email Newsletter
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January 11, 2013
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We’re only 11 days into 2013, and it’s already been a year of great progress and hard work. Our international network of researchers, staff, and volunteers stayed very busy over the holidays, and it’s my pleasure to bring the results of all that work to you in the January 2013 edition of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) Email Newsletter.
Our international series of Phase 2 pilot studies of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is moving ahead quickly. We’re making progress overcoming regulatory obstacles and addressing scientific issues of study design. Now, our major challenges are to raise the funds we need to complete the research, and to train new co-therapist teams.
- Switzerland: On January 1, our new Swiss study results are published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology
- Canada: On January 8, our MDMA import license finally arrives after almost four years of work, clearing the path to initiating the study
- Israel: On January 8, a documentary team reviews camera locations and lighting for recording the first therapy sessions in our new study, which is ready to treat the first subject who passes screening
- South Carolina: On January 7, our study in veterans is halfway through enrollment, enrolling the 12th of 24 subjects
- Colorado: On January 7, our study psychiatrist meets with MAPS Executive Director Rick Doblin, Ph.D., about how to obtain a DEA Schedule I license
Psychedelic Science 2013 is just four months away, and tickets are selling fast. With Early Bird ticket sales exceeding our expectations and Psychedelic Science 2010 selling out, it’s a good idea to your tickets soon. We are also proud to announce that we will be offering Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits for physicians, as well as Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists, social workers, MFTs, and nurses.
The Winter 2013 MAPS Bulletin is now available online, with our 2012 Annual Report plus original articles about ayahuasca, medical marijuana, MDMA, and much more.
Last month was exciting for MAPS in the media, too—read below to find out how to discredit research on MDMA’s benefits by misreading a study abstract.
Finally, I’d like to remind you that today is the 107th anniversary of the birth of LSD discoverer Dr. Albert Hofmann. It’s worth taking a moment to remember Hofmann’s great gift to science and medicine, as we continue our work to explore the risks and benefits of psychedelics and marijuana for science, health, and spirituality.
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Ever upward,
 Brad Burge MAPS Director of Communications |
- New Swiss Study Results Published in Journal of Psychopharmacology
- Canada: Vancouver Pharmacy Receives MDMA Import License from Health Canada
- U.S. Veterans Study: Twelve of 24 Subjects Enrolled
- New Version of MDMA-Assisted Therapy Treatment Manual Completed
- New Zealand Ibogaine Study Enrolls Sixth and Seventh Subjects
- December Fundraising Report: Generosity and Gratitude
- Exhibit Space at Psychedelic Science 2013: Premier Opportunity, Limited Availability
- Become an Official Sponsor of Psychedelic Science 2013
- PSYCHEDELIC SCIENCE 2013: April 18-23, 2013, Oakland, CA
- Ninth International Amazonian Shamanism Conference: July 21-27, Iquitos, Peru
- PRESS RELEASE: New Swiss Study Adds More Evidence For Treating PTSD With MDMA-Assisted Therapy
- VIDEO: CNN: Patient Talks About MDMA Treatment for PTSD
- Spirituality and Health Magazine: The Second Coming of Psychedelics
- Medscape: MDMA-Assisted Therapy Effective, Durable for PTSD
- Fierce Biotech: Ecstasy Ingredient Green-Lighted for Controversial PTSD Study
- The Daily Beast: Ecstasy to Treat PTSD? Not So Fast
- Reason: How to Discredit Research on MDMA’s Benefits: First, Misread the Abstract
- Digital Journal: MDMA for PTSD: Studies Shows Benefit But Spark Controversy
- Marine Corps Times: Study: Ecstasy Ingredient May Help Treat PTSD
- TruthOut: PTSD: The Soldier’s Private War
- The National Post: MDMA, PTSD, and Me
- VIDEO: Buddhism and Psychedelics: A Community Discussion with Kokyo Henkel and James Fadiman
- In Memoriam: Myron J. Stolaroff (August 20, 1920 – January 6, 2013)
- Online Course Explores Psychedelics Throughout History
- Open Position: Faculty in East-West Psychology at California Institute of Integral Studies
- Watch Breaking the Taboo: A Global Campaign Against the War on Drugs
- The Psychedelic Future of the Mind by Thomas B. Roberts, Ph.D.
- Distilled Spirits by Don Lattin
Treating PTSD with MDMA-Assisted Therapy:
Ibogaine Treatment for Addiction:
Support MAPS:
Events:
Media:
More News:
New in the MAPS Store:
CORRECTION: The email version of this newsletter erroneously published an image of Leo Zeff, the subject of Stolaroff’s first book, instead of an image of Myron Stolaroff. We sincerely apologize for the error. The correct image of Myron Stolaroff appears in this web version.
TREATING PTSD WITH MDMA-ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY
Learn more about treating PTSD with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy on 
or at mdmaptsd.org.
Our all-new motion graphic explains how MDMA-assisted psychotherapy
can help people suffering from PTSD—and why it matters.
1. New Swiss Study Results Published in Journal of Psychopharmacology
On January 1, 2013, the results from our completed Swiss study of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD were published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. The 12-person, randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind pilot study adds new evidence for the safety and potential effectiveness of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy as a treatment for people suffering from chronic, treatment-resistant PTSD. Subjects experienced clinically meaningful improvements and no evidence of harm after treatment. “MDMA helped me to stop holding back the strong feelings that came from all those long years of sexual abuse,” said Karin, who participated in the study. “After the study I was able to look at the past, go through all those bad spaces in my life, and look at them from very close. I’m still working on it and know I’m on the right path.” Download | Learn More
This study has been fully funded.
2. Canada: Vancouver Pharmacy Receives MDMA Import License from Health Canada
On January 8, 2013, Health Canada issued the import license required to bring MDMA from Switzerland into Canada for our upcoming Canadian study of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. The Canadian Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved the protocol on November 7, 2008, and Health Canada cleared the study on March 17, 2009. Since then, it has taken us almost four years to satisfy Health Canada’s pharmacy security requirements and obtain the import permit for nine grams of MDMA. We anticipate that obtaining the Swiss export permit will take a few weeks. Once the MDMA has arrived in Canada, we will submit a series of minor protocol revisions to Health Canada and to the Institutional Review Board. Once they are approved, which could take about a month, we will begin screening and treating subjects. Learn more…
$511,000 estimated study cost / $496,000 still needed
3. U.S. Veterans Study: Twelve of 24 Subjects Enrolled
On January 7, 2013, the 12th subject out of 24 was enrolled in our ongoing study of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for U.S. veterans, firefighters, and police officers with chronic, treatment-resistant PTSD. This study began treating subjects on January 7, 2011, and is now halfway through enrollment. We began slowly but now have an inquiry list of over 369 people and plan to complete treating subjects by June 2014. Additionally, for the first time both co-therapists and a subject all guessed incorrectly that a subject who received a low dose had received either the medium or the high dose. This indicates that we may be moving towards a model of a protocol with an effective dose double-blind. Join researchers Michael Mithoefer, M.D., and Annie Mithoefer, B.S.N., at Psychedelic Science 2013 for a full-day workshop on the principles and practice of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. View the timeline…
$1,260,000 estimated study cost / $526,000 still needed
4. New Version of MDMA-Assisted Therapy Treatment Manual Completed
New Version Released January 4, 2013: This manual provides researchers with a method of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy to be used as a model in conducting clinical trials to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The specific goals of this manual are to delineate the core elements of the MDMA-assisted psychotherapy method used in MAPS-sponsored PTSD treatment studies, and to educate therapists about the phases and steps involved in conducting MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of PTSD. Download | Learn More
Looking for more ways to get involved? Check out our Student Resources page!
IBOGAINE TREATMENT FOR ADDICTION
5. New Zealand Ibogaine Study Enrolls Sixth and Seventh Subjects
On January 9, 2013, the seventh participant was enrolled in our ongoing observational study of ibogaine treatment for addiction in New Zealand. The sixth subject was enrolled on December 8, 2012. This study will enroll from 20 to 30 participants, all receiving methadone treatment for opiate addiction and being treated for methadone dependence at independent ibogaine clinics in New Zealand. Learn More…
SUPPORT MAPS
6. December Fundraising Report: Generosity and Gratitude
MAPS supporters were especially generous this December, giving 399 gifts that totaled $284,906. Gifts ranged in size from $5 to $90,000. Foundation support included $50,000 from the Mental Insight Foundation for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy; and $90,000 from the Riverstyx Foundation for general support, qualitative research, and funding to allow four Canadian ayahuasca researchers to attend the MAPS conference. The David Rockefeller Foundation gave $15,000 to our new MDMA-assisted psychotherapy study in Boulder, John Fidel Arsenault gave $15,000 for operational expenses, and Vanja Palmers gave $9,050 to support our new Boulder study.
Major unrestricted gifts included: Lisa Blue $10,000, Rene and Dr. Susan Ruiz $7,500, Joakim Arfvidsson $6,000, Karl Richard $4,755, and Anne St. Goar $2,500. Major restricted gifts included $4,000 from David Keeler to support Michael Mithoefer’s research; an anonymous foundation gave $1,000 to support MAPS at the Wisdom 2.0 Conference; a donation of $2,000 was received from Andrew Ungerleider & Gay Dillingham’s Livingry Foundation to support MDMA/PTSD training for an Israeli co-therapist; and John Buchanan donated $1,500 for obtaining CME accreditation for Stan Grof’s lecture at Psychedelic Science 2013. Unrestricted gifts included $1,500 from Jeremy Tarcher, and $1,000 from Jerry Greenfield, Inflexxion, David Monroe, Max & Elena Talan, Daniel Todd Cohn, Devera & Michael Witkin, and Leigh Marz & Michael Ziegler. In addition, and just as significantly, 375 donors gave $27,774 in gifts under $1,000.
Donors are active partners in accomplishing research and educating people about the risks and benefits of psychedelics. But even more important are the people who have been helped by participating in our research: “This study saved my life…my trauma does not define me…Whole and not broken, valuable and not less-than because of my pain. Thank you.”
Help us make psychedelics and marijuana into prescription medicines—donate today!
7. Exhibit Space at Psychedelic Science 2013: Premier Opportunity, Limited Availability
Exhibit space at Psychedelic Science is limited, spaces are filling up quick, and interest is abundant, so reserve your space so
on. Psychedelic Science 2013 is a premier opportunity to interact with our supporters and conference attendees while generating year-round interest and marketing opportunities for your organization, company, or product. See our Sponsorship Brochure for full details, or contact Brian Brown (brown@maps.org) for more information.
8. Become an Official Sponsor of Psychedelic Science 2013
Thank you to all who are making Psychedelic Science 2013 possible by becoming a conference sponsor. To find out how you can get your company or organization name in front of like-minded people while supporting your favorite part of the conference, contact Virginia Wright at virginia@maps.org.
Psychedelic Science 2013 Sponsors
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Ayahuasca Track Richard Wolfe |
Workshop: Psychedelic Horizons Beyond Psychotherapy |
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Riverstyx Foundation |
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EVENTS
9. PSYCHEDELIC SCIENCE 2013: April 18-23, 2013, Oakland, CA
3-Day Conference Schedule, Speaker Bios, and Presentation Abstracts are now available!
We are proud to announce that Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits will be available for physicians. Up to 8.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ available. For every hour attended, physicians can earn one hour of credit. Each attendee will need to complete an evaluation form at the end of each activity. Certificates of credit will be mailed to each attendee 2-4 weeks after the event. CME is available for $125, payable online or at the event. Presentations qualifying for CME credit will be announced soon.
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists, social workers, MFTs, and nurses are marked on the conference website with 
. CE is available for $40, payable online or at the event. CE is provided by the Spiritual Competency Resource Center, which is co-sponsoring this program and is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor Continuing Education. SCRC is a California Board of Registered Nursing Provider (BRN) and a Board of Behavioral Sciences Provider (BBS). All CE forms will be available at the conference site. 63 of 73 presentations are CE accredited.
10. Ninth International Amazonian Shamanism Conference: July 21-27, 2013, Iquitos, Peru
See our Events Calendar for more!
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MEDIA
11. PRESS RELEASE: New Swiss Study Adds More Evidence For Treating PTSD With MDMA-Assisted Therapy | view
MAPS / January 2, 2013
Subjects with chronic, treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder experienced clinically meaningful improvements and no evidence of harm after participating in a small Swiss study evaluating MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, according to a paper published January 1 in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.
12. VIDEO: CNN: Patient Talks About MDMA Treatment for PTSD | view
Dr. Sanjay Gupta / December 5, 2012
13. Spirituality and Health Magazine: The Second Coming of Psychedelics | view
Don Lattin / January 2013
14. Medscape: MDMA-Assisted Therapy Effective, Durable for PTSD | view
Megan Brooks / December 17, 2012
15. Fierce Biotech: Ecstasy Ingredient Green-Lighted for Controversial PTSD Study | view
Ryan McBride / December 7, 2012
16. The Daily Beast: Ecstasy to Treat PTSD? Not So Fast | view
Kent Sepkowitz / December 26, 2012
Rick Doblin Responds | view
Update: Kent Sepkowitz Apologizes for Misreading Study Results | View
17. Reason: How to Discredit Research on MDMA’s Benefits: First, Misread the Abstract | view
Jacob Sullum / December 26, 2012
18. Digital Journal: MDMA for PTSD: Studies Shows Benefit But Spark Controversy | view
Kathleen Blanchard / December 26, 2012
19. Marine Corps Times: Study: Ecstasy Ingredient May Help Treat PTSD | view
Patricia Kime / December 20, 2012
20.TruthOut: PTSD: The Soldier’s Private War | view
Robert Wilbur and James L. Knoll / January 9, 2013
21. The National Post: MDMA, PTSD, and Me | view
Mireille Silcoff / December 8, 2012
22. VIDEO: Buddhism and Psychedelics: A Community Discussion with Kokyo Henkel and James Fadiman | view
On October 20, 2012, Rev. Kokyo Henkel and James Fadiman, Ph.D., engaged a diverse crowd in Santa Cruz with a discussion about the similarities between psychedelic and Buddhist experiences. Event co-sponsored by MAPS. Part 2 will be released later this month.
Explore MAPS in the Media for even more psychedelic and medical marijuana research news.
MORE NEWS
Myron Stolaroff (1920-2013)
pioneer of psychedelic therapy
Image: Jon Hanna
23. In Memoriam: Myron J. Stolaroff (August 20, 1920 – January 6, 2013)
On January 6, 2013, MAPS, the greater psychedelic community, and the human family lost a great light. Myron Stolaroff was a pioneer of the psychedelic therapy movement and a longstanding active and sagely voice of the psychedelic zeitgeist. Born in Roswell, New Mexico, in 1920, he received a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University in 1941 and worked in the industry for Ampex Corporation from 1946 to 1960. Myron Stolaroff was the author of three important books: The Secret Chief, an amazing first-hand tale of underground psychedelic therapy; The Secret Chief: Revealed; and From Thanatos to Eros: Thirty-Five Years of Psychedelic Exploration. The Secret Chief, MAPS’ first published book, took an intimate look into the work of “Jacob,” an underground psychedelic therapist active in the 1970’s and 1980’s, chronicling the groundbreaking psychedelic therapeutic work of Leo Zeff. Truly a gentle, heartfelt human being, he was a genuine hero to so many of us. He will be missed—bodhi svaha!
—John Harrison, Psy.D. (cand)
Watch for John Harrison’s article about the life and work of Myron Stolaroff in the upcoming special edition of the MAPS Bulletin on Psychedelics in Psychiatry, available April 2013.
CORRECTION: The email version of this newsletter erroneously published an image of Leo Zeff, the subject of Stolaroff’s first book, instead of an image of Myron Stolaroff. We sincerely apologize for the error. The correct image of Myron Stolaroff appears in this web version.
24. Online Course Explores Psychedelics Throughout History
From March 9 to May 10, 2013, the eight-week “Psychedelic Mindview” course from College of DuPage explores the role of psychedelic substances throughout history. It covers clinical research on psychedelic drugs as adjuncts to psychotherapy for the treatment of addiction, PTSD, and existential distress at the end of life, as well as how to address psychedelic drug experiences that clients bring into psychotherapy. The course also covers the influence of psychedelics in art, creativity, and in the political social context of the sixties. This class provides PowerPoints, video links, assignments, and a discussion board, and is accessible 24/7. Download the flyer for more information and costs.
25. Open Position: Faculty in East-West Psychology at California Institute of Integral Studies
The department of East-West Psychology (EWP) at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) in San Francisco, Calif., announces a full-time position at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor, effective Fall 2013. Application deadline is April 1, 2013. Learn more.
26. Watch Breaking the Taboo: A Global Campaign Against the War on Drugs
MAPS is participating in a global campaign against the War on Drugs, as part of a international coalition of NGOs. The campaign has been launched by the Beckley Foundation in association with The Global Commission on Drug Policy, Virgin Unite, Avaaz, and Sundog Pictures. The Breaking the Taboo global campaign has been joined already for more the 40 NGOs including ENCOD, LEAP and IDPC. The Global Campaign is accompanied by the release of a documentary called Breaking the Taboo, narrated by Morgan Freeman, and featuring some of the most notable figures in world politics speaking out about the subject, including Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter and President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia and many more. The film was released on YouTube on December 7, 2012, and can be watched at www.breakingthetaboo.com.
NEW IN THE MAPS STORE
All proceeds from the MAPS Store support psychedelic and medical marijuana research and education!
27. The Psychedelic Future of the Mind by Thomas B. Roberts, Ph.D.
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by Thomas B. Roberts, Ph.D. Thomas B. Roberts, Ph.D., reveals how new uses for psychedelics (or entheogens) will enrich individuals as well as society as a whole. With contributions from Charles Grob, M.D., and Roger N. Walsh, M.D., Ph.D., the book explains how psychedelics can raise individual and business attitudes away from self-centeredness, improve daily life with strengthened feelings of meaningfulness and spirituality, and help us understand and redesign the human mind. $12.95 / Now available |
28. Distilled Spirits by Don Lattin
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by Don Lattin Veteran journalist Don Lattin, author of the bestselling The Harvard Psychedelic Club, brings together the life stories of three men—celebrated author Aldous Huxley, New Age movement leader Gerald Heard, and Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder Bill Wilson—who transformed the landscape of Western religion and spirituality in the 20th century. Weaving an intimate account of his own recovery with the lives of the central characters, Lattin shows us the redemptive power of storytelling, the strength of fellowship, and the power of living more compassionately. $21.95 / Now available |
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