Audio and Video Archive

May 3, 2012

CNN: Psychedelic Therapy for Cancer Patients

CNN explores the use of psychedelic-assisted therapy to help cancer sufferers overcome their anxiety about illness.

April 6, 2012

Video: James Fadiman on Psychedelic Education at MAPS First Friday Art Tour

On Friday, April 6, MAPS hosted an evening of art, music, and conversations about psychedelic science and medicine at our Santa Cruz, California headquarters. Professor James Fadiman, Ph.D., author of the Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide and co-founder of the Institute for Transpersonal Psychology, led an informative yet casual discussion about psychedelic research and creativity studies, and assessed the uses of psychedelics in therapeutic and clinical settings.

You can also watch this video overview of our April 6, 2012, First Friday Art Tour.

April 6, 2012

MAPS First Friday Art Tour - April 6, 2012

On April 6, 2012, MAPS hosted an event for Santa Cruz’s First Friday Art Tour, featuring breathtaking artwork, a psychedelic research discussion, live music, belly dancing, and much more. We displayed the work of six young artists who support our work by offering their art for sale at our events and online store. Visitors enjoyed live music performances by Cello Joe and Homunculus Rex, plus Balinese dance by Annika Johnson and belly dance by San Francisco-based Hasna Hip Flow. Special thanks go to MAPS intern Bryce Montgomery for filming and editing this video.

Watch Professor Jim Fadiman’s psychedelic research discussion online here.

April 4, 2012

Ayahuasca: The Persecution of an Ancestral Culture

The International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research, and Service (ICEERS) releases a trailer from the first part of a cinematographic project about ayahuasca, a plant used in traditional ancestral ceremonies in the Amazon, and efforts to develop its therapeutic potential in North America and Europe.

March 31, 2012

MAPS Founder Rick Doblin on Psychedelic vs. Medical Marijuana Research

MAPS Founder Rick Doblin, Ph.D., speaks to the Drug Truth Network about how psychedelic research charges forward while medical marijuana research continues to be blocked by the federal government. The interview was recorded at the 2012 Students for Sensible Drug Policy national conference in Denver, CO.

Listen to the interview online or download it here (mp3).

March 25, 2012

MAPS Executive Director Rick Doblin Gives Keynote Speech at 2012 SSDP Conference

On March 25, 2012, MAPS Founder and Executive Director Rick Doblin, Ph.D., gave a keynote speech about psychedelics, drug policy, and social change at the 2012 Students for Sensible Drug Policy Conference in Denver, Colorado. He received a standing ovation for his talk, which addressed how the responsible use of psychedelics can help promote positive social change. Click here to watch the full version (48 minutes).

Short Version (21 minutes)

March 16, 2012

How Psychedelics Can Help Heal Addiction

The second episode of the “My Plain Truth” podcast features an interview with Brad Burge about MAPS’ research into the therapeutic uses of psychedelics. The episode focuses on ibogaine, which seems to hold particular promise for those suffering from addiction.

March 9, 2012

LSD for Alcoholism

Norwegian researcher Teri Krebs explains to BBC World News how a recent reassessment of clinical trial data from decades ago shows that LSD given to alcoholics produced a clear and consistent beneficial effect on alcohol misuse lasting for at least six months after a single dose.

February 28, 2012

Video: Could MDMA Have Been Designed with Psychotherapy in Mind?

On February 28, 2012, UK psychiatrist Ben Sessa, M.D., gave an outstanding lecture on the topic of “MDMA: Could It Have Been Designed with Psychotherapy in Mind?” The talk was part of an ongoing Ecology, Cosmos, and Consciousness lecture series taking place at the October Gallery in London.

Dr. Sessa, along with former UK drug policy advisor David Nutt, M.D., is currently exploring funding opportunities for a future study of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD in the UK. MAPS will provide training to the UK co-therapist team and assist with the protocol approval process.

January 16, 2012

Dr. Julie Holland Interviewed on Women’s Voices Radio

Dr. Julie Holland is a Board-certified psychiatrist specializing in psychopharmacology. Dr. Holland received her medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine where she performed research on auditory hallucinations, extensively interviewing nearly one hundred psychotic patients. As Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the NYU School of Medicine, Dr. Holland spent her weekends running psychiatric emergency room at Bellevue Hospital for nine years; her book, Weekends at Bellevue: Lessons from the Psychiatric ER comes from that experience. She is considered a worldwide expert on street drugs, and has been quoted in Time, Harper’s, Slate, the Los Angeles Times, and the Wall Street Journal.

Dr. Holland is also the official medical monitor for MAPS’ MDMA-assisted psychotherapy studies, and author of Ecstasy: The Complete Guide and The Pot Book.

Listen to Dr. Holland’s interview on Women’s Voices Radio here (mp3).

January 13, 2012

British Columbia Medical Official Discusses MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy

British Columbia’s chief medical health officer, Dr. Perry Kendall, speaks on a province-wide call-in show on CBC Radio One. He starts off by talking about the medical potential of MDMA, its history as an adjunct to psychotherapy and current research on using it for treating PTSD. Listen to the 30-minute show (MP3).

January 9, 2012

RIck Doblin Interviewed on CKNW Radio Vancouver

MAPS Founder Rick Doblin speaks with CKNW in Vancouver about recent headlines surrounding the dangers of recreational Ecstasy use, the benefits of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, and MAPS’ efforts to conduct medical marijuana research.

Listen to the interview here (mp3).

January 8, 2012

Drugs, Inc.: Video of Real Underground MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy Session

“Ecstasy” (which aired Sunday, January 8) showed the social and environmental devastation caused by the criminal black market in Ecstasy pills, and explored what researchers know—and don’t know—about the pure ingredient, MDMA. The episode included a segment describing the possible therapeutic benefits of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. Watch this video excerpt of a real underground MDMA-assisted psychotherapy session.

January 5, 2012

Psychedelic Science in the 21st Century

MAPS’ 2010 “Psychedelic Science in the 21st Century” conference brought together international experts to present on psychedelic research and psychedelic psychotherapy topics for the largest conference dedicated solely to psychedelics in the U.S. in 17 years. There were three full days of programming with concurrent tracks exploring clinical and spiritual applications, issues relevant to healthcare professionals, and social and cultural issues surrounding the therapeutic and recreational uses of psychedelics.

The Cinematic Syndicate has now released the following excellent video about the conference. With a successful 25th anniversary conference and celebration right behind us, we’re all looking forward to the next big event. Keep an eye out in 2013!

December 20, 2011

Psychedelia: Research and Advocacy at MAPS

Psychedelic drugs and marijuana get a bad rap and deserve serious research, says Brad Burge of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). Join PsychTalk Radio in exploring why these drugs have picked up stigma and what research is revealing about them. Along the way learn about “the most dangerous man in America,” the failure of DARE, and what Steve Jobs thinks about all this.

Visit PsychTalk Radio to hear this 30-minute interview or download it here (32 MB mp3).

December 3, 2011

Rick Doblin at Entheogenesis Australis: Will Psychedelic Medicine Transform Culture?

MAPS Founder and Executive Director Rick Doblin, Ph.D., shares his views on the potential of psychedelic research to transform human culture at Entheogenesis Australis 2011.

November 5, 2011

Honor Thy Daughter author Marilyn Howell Addresses International Drug Policy Reform Conference

On November 5, 2011, Honor Thy Daughter author Marilyn Howell was given the honor of speaking at the closing plenary at the 2011 International Drug Policy Reform Conference. Howell was one of a handful of presenters chosen to address the entire conference audience, owing to the dramatic impact their earlier presentations had on attendees.

Ethan Nadelmann, Ph.D., the founder and executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, explained why Marilyn’s story about how psychedelic therapy helped ease her daughter’s suffering at the end of her life is so important for the drug policy reform community. “We are about trying to reduce the cumulative pain associated both with drugs and the drug war in our society and around the world,” said Nadelmann. “One of the people who spoke beautifully to this issue…was Marilyn Howell.”

As Marilyn wrote to MAPS after the conference (where Honor Thy Daughter sold out): “I’ve always been a bit of an outsider. As a student of multiple mind/body systems, I selectively chose and integrated a variety of useful principles and tools, but I was never drawn to earn certification in a particular discipline or to join an organization of practitioners. Although I facilitated strong communities in the classroom, I was the guide and gatekeeper, not a peer. I never felt as though I belonged to a community. At 69, I’ve finally found my tribe in MAPS.”

Watch Marilyn’s closing address below, or view the entire closing plenary.

November 5, 2011

DPA 2011: Sessions on Psychedelics in Science, Medicine, and Law

MAPS was a proud co-host of the 2011 International Drug Policy Reform Conference, which took place November 2-5 in Los Angeles, CA. In addition to over a dozen panels and discussions on medical marijuana, an unprecedented number of sessions were held on the science, culture, and politics of psychedelics with leading members of the psychedelic research community.

Full audio recordings are available through the following links:

Psychedelic Healing: Can Psychedelics Reinvent Medicine…and Society?
With Rick Doblin, Jim Fadiman, Julie Holland, Marilyn Howell, Amanda Feilding, and Neal Goldsmith.

Psychedelic Science: Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives
With Brad Burge, Earth and Fire Erowid (invited), Ralph Metzner, Nese Lisa Senol, Kenneth Tupper, and Jag Davies.

Bad Trips: How to Respond to Unwanted or Dangerous Side Effects of Psychedelics, Opiates & Stimulants
With Luciano Colonna, Rick Doblin, John Harrison, and Eliza Wheeler.

Psychedelics, Religion and Cultural Translation
With Neal Goldsmith, Ralph Metzner, Dimitri “Mobengo” Mugianis, Mona Polacca, Kenneth Tupper, and Jill Harris.

November 4, 2011

2011 International Drug Policy Reform Conference Psychedelic Sessions Available Online

The Drug Policy Alliance has graciously made a number of sessions from the exciting and impactful 2011 International Drug Policy Reform conference viewable online. In addition to Honor Thy Daughter author Marilyn Howell’s closing address, you may also be interested in:

Psychedelic Healing: Can Psychedelics Reinvent Medicine…and Society? with Rick Doblin, Marilyn Howell, Amanda Feilding, Neal Goldsmith, Jim Fadiman, and Julie Holland
Drug, Set, and Setting Today with Julie Holland, M.D.
Drug, Set, and Setting Today with Gabor Maté, M.D.

October 31, 2011

Dr. Julie Holland on treating PTSD with MDMA and Cannabis

New York-based Dr Julie Holland talks about her work with post traumatic stress disorder sufferers in this live videolink talk filmed at the Envisioning a Post Prohibition World event organised by Know Drugs and Open Democracy. Dr. Holland is the official medical monitor for MAPS’ clinical studies.

Dr. Holland has spent her adult life investigating drugs. At the University of Pennsylvania, she majored in the “Biological Basis of Behavior,” a series of courses combining the study of psychology and neural sciences, with a concentration in drugs and the brain, or psychopharmacology. During her college years, she authored an extensive research paper on MDMA. Dr. Holland received her medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine in 1992. At Mount Sinai Medical Center, she completed a residency program in psychiatry, where she was the creator of a research project which treated schizophrenics with a new medication. She is considered an expert on street drugs and intoxication states, and lectures widely on this topic.

The question and answer session which followed the talk can be seen here:

October 18, 2011

Mind Body Health and Politics Radio Show Hosts Psychedelic Medicine Series

“Mind Body Health & Politics” with Dr. Richard Miller is hosting a series on Psychedelic Medicine, featuring personal interviews with scientists and thinkers in psychedelic and medical marijuana research. “Mind Body Health & Politics” airs the first and third Tuesday of the month at 9 AM on National Public Radio affiliate KZYX FM (Mendocino County Public Radio). You can also listen live online at mindbodyhealthpolitics.org.

Past Shows:

Psychedelic Medicine I: Ethnobotany with Dennis McKenna
Broadcasted September 20, 2011 (mp3).
Psychedelic Medicine II: The Historic MDMA study
Dr. Miller and MAPS researchers Michael Mithoefer, M.D., and Ann Mithoefer, B.S.N., discuss their FDA-approved clinical trials of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) as a therapeutic tool to assist psychotherapy for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Broadcasted October 4, 2011 (mp3).
Psychedelic Medicine III: The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide
Jim Fadiman, Ph.D. discusses his new book The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide: Safe, Therapeutic and Sacred Journeys (available in the MAPS Store). Broadcasted October 18th, 2011 (mp3).

More Shows:

November 1: Mark Blumenthal , Ph.D., founder and executive director of the American Botanical Council.
November 15: Dave Nichols, Ph.D., pharmacologist, medicinal chemist, founding president of the Heffter Research Institute, and one of the world’s leading experts on psychedelics.
November 29: Charles Grob, M.D., psychiatrist, psilocybin researcher, and conductor of the first government-approved study of MDMA in humans.

The mission of “Mind Body Health and Politics” is to enhance health, provoke thought, expand consciousness, and encourage mental health.

October 18, 2011

The Other Day at an Undisclosed Location

On October 18, 2011, Health Canada conducted a follow-up inspection of the pharmacy for our planned Phase 2 Canadian study of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. The pharmacy inspection is required under Canadian regulations to ensure that the facility used to store and label the MDMA to be used in the study is adequately secure, and that the proper accountability procedures are in place. Once we obtain clearance from Health Canada we will be able to import the MDMA for the study into Canada from Switzerland.

Watch this brief video made by Canadian documentary filmmaker Arwen Hunter featuring a personal interview with pharmacist Colin Holyk discussing the challenges of negotiating the strict security requirements required by Health Canada and for a look inside the Vancouver pharmacy where the MDMA will be stored.

September 13, 2011

Rick Doblin, Gabor Maté, and Philippe Lucas at Out of Mind Benefit Event for MAPS Canada

On September 13, 2011, MAPS Founder Rick Doblin, Ph.D., physician and author Gabor Maté, M.D., and MAPS Canada board member Philippe Lucas, M.A., explored the implications of the launch of MAPS Canada at Out of Mind: The Therapeutic Application of Psychedelics to Treat PTSD and Addiction, a lecture series and benefit event in Victoria, BC.

(Note: Mr. Lucas’ introduction begins just after the 21:00 mark on Part 1.).

Watch live streaming video from sunsetlabs at livestream.com

Click here for part 2.

August 22, 2011

Honor Thy Daughter Author Marilyn Howell, Ed.D., Interviewed on Women’s Voices Radio

On August 22, 2011, Honor Thy Daughter author Marilyn Howell, Ed.D., was interviewed on Women’s Voices with Janie Rezner on KZYX radio. Download the podcast of this interview to learn how Dr. Howell decided to explore the possibilities of psychedelic psychotherapy to ease her daughter’s final days.

August 22, 2011

Marilyn Howell Interviewed on “Conversations with Charlie Dyer”

On August 22, 2011, Honor Thy Daughter author Marilyn Howell, Ed.D., was interviewed on KNews 94.3 FM on “Conversations with Charlie Dyer” about her experience using psychedelic-assisted therapy to ease her daughter’s passing. The interview is now available for download.

July 30, 2011

MAPS Psychedelic Research Presentation at 2011 Women’s Visionary Congress

On July 30, 2011, MAPS staff Amy Emerson (Clinical Program Manager) and Linnae Ponté (Executive & Clinical Research Assistant) gave an interesting and informative presentation about the current state of psychedelic research at the 2011 Women’s Visionary Congress.

Their presentation addressed the prominent role of women in the field of psychedelic therapy research and explored how MAPS’ balanced, respectful approach to its work makes it especially effective as a non-profit pharmaceutical development organization.

The Women’s Visionary Congress (http://visionarycongress.org/) is an annual gathering of visionary women healers, scholars, activists and artists who study consciousness and altered states. The WVC supports the transfer of knowledge among women who apply the insights of their research and spiritual path.

June 7, 2011

Mother’s Loving Care For Dying Daughter Included Psychedelic Drugs

On June 7, Honor Thy Daughter author Marilyn Howell appeared on RadioBoston’s CommonHealth to discuss why she turned to psychedelic therapy to ease the pain and anxiety of her dying daughter. An article explains how Howell’s story fits into the larger history of psychedelic medicine, and how stories like hers are helping show the world the importance of MAPS’ research.

Listen to Howell’s interview streaming or download it here.

RadioBoston also published a second short article about Howell’s decision to explore psychedelic therapy.

May 26, 2011

Marilyn Howell Describes Her Daughter’s Final Moments with MDMA Therapy on WGBH Boston

In Marilyn Howell’s second appearance on WGBH’s “Greater Boston” with Emily Rooney, she shares what it was like to be with her daughter as she underwent MDMA-assisted therapy during her final moments.

Typically, when a person is in the end stages, you have a choice: do you want to be asleep, or do you want to be in pain? MDMA gave her the…possibility to be alert, and aware, and back to herself for a few hours…She died with a sense of peace and joy.

The episode aired on Thursday, May 26, 2011.

April 18, 2011

MDMA as a Medicine: A 3-Minute Visual History

In this brilliant short cartoon, Australian television show Hungry Beast puts a comical—and accurate—spin on the history of MDMA.

“3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine—thats MDMA, the drug known illicitly as ecstasy—was first created completely by accident in 1912. Its initial foray into the world of medicine was cut short when people started using it recreationally, leading to it being banned as part of the War on Drugs. But doctors continued to campaign to be able to use it in medical research, and recent developments have shown the drugs potential for use in conjunction with psychological counseling to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), trauma, and anxiety.”

April 18, 2011

MDMA Therapy on Showtime Drama “Huff”

Even cable dramas are starting to recognize the therapeutic potential of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. On Season 2, Episode 8 of Showtime drama “Huff,” a psychiatrist informs her patient that MDMA therapy can be like going through a year’s worth of therapy in a single session. This is precisely what some patients in MAPS’ clinical trials of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD are seeing. This episode originally aired on May 14, 2006.

April 3, 2011

Video: MDMA Debate at Breaking Convention

On April 2-3, 2011, the University of Kent at Canterbury hosted Breaking Convention: A Multidisciplinary Conference on Psychedelic Consciousness. The first day of the conference featured a rousing debate on the relative risks and benefits of MDMA.

Thanks to MAPS intern Bryce for making this available!

Thanks to the participation of an engaged and knowledgeable audience, the debate addressed many issues not commonly addressed in the scientific literature or popular press. Topics include: the politicization of psychedelic research, the ways that selective data analysis can be used to emphasize risk vs. safety, the effects of publication bias, and what happens when experts are consulted for their professional opinion. Other major themes include the relative risk/benefit ratio of clinical MDMA vs. recreational Ecstasy and the role of set and setting in helping determine this ratio. The debate was moderated by Ben Sessa, M.D., and includes MAPS founder and executive director Rick Doblin, Ph.D., Swiss MDMA-assisted psychotherapy researcher Peter Oehen, M.D., and psychopharmacology researchers Jon Cole, Ph.D., Val Curran, M.D., and Andy Parrott, Ph.D. Click here for the full debate transcript (PDF).

March 22, 2011

Psychedelic Drugs: Their Role in Legitimately Treating Psychiatric Conditions

On March 22, 2011, Burt Cohen interviewed Phil Wolfson, M.D., a San Francisco Bay Area psychiatrist who argues that psychedelics can be powerful tools for personal and spiritual healing and transformation. With the recent death of LSD pioneer Owsley Stanley, Wolfson discusses how psychedelics came to be feared and vilified in the wake of the 1960s, and how they are once again being accepted as valuable medical treatments. He also discusses the connection between the use of psychedelic for visionary and artistic work on one hand, and for therapeutic purposes on the other.

February 24, 2011

Rick Doblin Interviewed on Drug Truth Radio Network’s “Century of Lies”

On February 24, 2011, MAPS Founder and Executive Director Rick Doblin, Ph.D., gave a short interview on the Drug Truth Network’s “Century of Lies” radio show. He discusses MAPS’ MDMA/PTSD research progress, the recent explosion of MAPS media coverage, his upcoming talk at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and upcoming events in celebration of MAPS’ 25th anniversary. Visit the Drug Truth Network for the complete show, which includes an interview with Paul Armentano of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).

February 21, 2011

Study Finds Ecstasy Not As Harmful As First Thought

In this interview on Australian community radio, Shant Fabricatorian speaks with Professor John Halpern from Harvard Medical School/McLean Hospital, the lead researcher on a new study that threatens to overturn established thinking on the popular party drug Ecstasy. According to most studies on the subject, Ecstasy has traditionally been viewed as a relatively dangerous drug, with the symptoms linked to it including brain damage and memory loss. Dr. Halpern’s research, a $1.8 million study funded by the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse and using pilot data provided by MAPS, argues that ecstasy use does not result in cognitive damage, and that previous conclusions suggesting otherwise were overstated, or reached through flawed methods.

February 16, 2011

Rick Doblin Interviewed on Louisville Late Night

In this friendly, in-depth, and casual 2006 interview, journalist Patrick Moore of the Louisville Late Night TV Show speaks with MAPS Founder and Executive Director Rick Doblin, Ph.D., about the risks and benefits of MDMA and MDMA-assisted psychotherapy and the politics of psychedelic research.

The half-hour interview is in three parts: Part 1 (below), Part 2, and Part 3.

February 3, 2011

Rick Doblin Interviewed on Reality Sandwich

On February 3, 2011, MAPS Founder and Executive Director Rick Doblin, Ph.D., was interviewed on the Reality Sandwich Radio Show, a bimonthly program featuring renowned thinkers and activists and addressing issues of science, consciousness, and personal and global transformation. In this episode, Doblin discusses MAPS’ research into MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD.

January 18, 2011

Rare Video of Woman in 1950s LSD Experiment

CNN's Brooke Baldwin speaks with freelance journalist Don Lattin about his discovery of a rare video from the 1950s of a woman participating in a government-run LSD experiment. Lattin discusses the long history of investigations into the therapeutic potential of LSD, in particular its possible effectiveness for addiction treatment. The video also highlights how LSD may help enable spiritual awakenings--and thus the possibility for healing--even in people who aren't necessarily religious. Lattin is the author of The Harvard Psychedelic Club: How Timothy Leary, Ram Dass, Huston Smith, and Andrew Weil Killed the Fifties and Ushered in a New Age for America.

January 9, 2011

Rick Doblin Interviewed on Carl’s Cannabis Corner

On January 9, 2011, MAPS Executive Director Rick Doblin, Ph.D., was interviewed on Carl’s Cannabis Corner, which hosts weekly podcasts and videos related to marijuana and the law. In the hour-long interview, Rick talks about MAPS’ efforts to conduct research on the possible benefits of marijuana for PTSD and break the monopoly on cannabis research currently held by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). They also discuss current federal attempts to reschedule cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids. The interview is available both as a streaming video and as a downloadable mp3.

December 26, 2010

Rick Doblin Interviewed on Tributaries Radio (Part 2)

In Part 2 of his interview on Tributaries Radio, Rick Doblin continues to discuss MAPS’ work to develop psychedelics and marijuana into prescription medicines. The show aired on December 26, 2010. The mp3 is available on the MAPS website as well as at Tributaries Radio.

December 19, 2010

Rick Doblin Interviewed on Tributaries Radio (Part 1)

In Part 1 of his interview on Tributaries Radio, Rick Doblin discusses MAPS’ work to develop psychedelics and marijuana into prescription medicines. The show aired on December 19, 2010. The mp3 is available on the MAPS website as well as at Tributaries Radio.

December 6, 2010

Not Just a Day of Ecstasy

Reporter Joel Werner finds out about the role the drug ecstasy might play in easing the torment of those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Warner interviews Michael Mithoefer, M.D. and his patient Donna Kilgore.

December 4, 2010

Medical Psychedelics: Soma for the Masses?

In this podcast, experiential journalist Rak Razam moderates a panel discussion at Entheogenesis Australis in Melbourne, Australia in December 2010. The panel features MAPS Founder and Executive Director Rick Doblin, Ph.D., Australian psychologist and addictions researcher Steven Bright, a practitioner using ibogaine to break addiction, and La Trobe University psychologist Anna Kokavec, Ph.D.

November 22, 2010

Author Marilyn Howell and MAPS Founder Rick Doblin Interview on Greater Boston

“Greater Boston” host Emily Rooney interviews Rick Doblin, Ph.D. (Founder and Executive Director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) and Marilyn Howell, Ed.D. (educator and author of Honor Thy Daughter) about the potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy to help treat anxiety associated with terminal illness. Howell discusses how psychedelics (including MDMA, the main ingredient in the street drug Ecstasy) combined with therapy helped her adult daughter come to terms with her illness and reestablish her lost connection with her family. Doblin describes what scientists are learning about the therapeutic potential of psychedelics and how they might help patients overcome trauma and anxiety.

Learn about Howell’s new book at http://www.honorthydaughter.com.

This episode aired on November 22, 2010, on WGBH Boston.

October 28, 2010

Rick Doblin Interview on the The Entheogenic Evolution Part 2

October 4, 2010

Rick Doblin Interview on the The Entheogenic Evolution Part 1

September 17, 2010

Evolver the Podcast: Sacred Psychedelics and Their Transformative Power

The podcast linked here is from Evolver and focuses on transformations inspired the psychedelic use. MAPS friends and colleagues Jonathan Talat Phillips, Isabella Stoloff, and Charles Shaw are interviewed in this podcast.

August 15, 2010

Present! Psychedelic Science in the 21st Century

MAPS Director of Communication Randolph Hencken, M.A., spoke about the Psychedelic in the 21st Century conference and other MAPS related issues in this interview.

July 3, 2010

Freelance Writer and Wanderer Extraordinaire Rak Razam has Made Available a Number of MP3 Podcasts

Freelance writer and wanderer extraordinaire Rak Razam has made available a number of MP3 podcasts of interviews with prominent participants in the psychedelic research renaissance who were present at the Psychedelic Science in the 21st Century conference.

Episode 1: In a Perfect World: New MAPS of Hyperspace with Rick Doblin, Ph.D., Charles Grob M.D. and Ralph Metzner, Ph.D.

Episode 2: In a Perfect World: New MAPS of Hyperspace with Sasha Shulgin, Carolyn Garcia, and Alex and Allyson Grey.

Episode 3: In a Perfect World: New MAPS of Hyperspace with Stan Grof, M.D. and Nick Sand.

June 11, 2010

AV_Archive_ID1943

MAPS Executive Director Rick Doblin, Ph.D. gave a one hour interview on the show "Of Consuming Interest" on the Progressive Radio Network. (Click here for the file on the MAPS Website, or Click here to hear the file on the Progressive Radion Network website.)

June 2, 2010

AV_Archive_ID1941

Entheoradio. "Live interview with Randolph Hencken of MAPS." (Permalink) With host Trevhar Hughes.

Randy discusses MAPS' mission, drug prohibition, his personal story, and strategies for mainstreaming psychedelics safely into society.

May 21, 2010

AV_Archive_ID1942

KMVT. "Present! - Psychedelic Art at the 2010 MAPS Conference."

Mel Van Dusen presents a visual tour for the psychedelic and visionary art at the 2010 MAPS Conference in San Jose, California.

May 19, 2010

NPR. “Can Marijuana Ease PTSD? A Debate Brews”

This article reports on persons with PTSD, including veterans of war, who are using medical marijuana to ease anxiety and other symptoms, the debate within the Veterans Affairs, and the conflict between state laws and federal laws.

April 26, 2010

Rick Doblin and Charles Grob spoke on KQED, San Franciso’s largest NPR station

April 26, 2010

Can ‘ecstasy’ cure PTSD?

An illegal psychedelic has promise as a cure for post-traumatic stress disorder in soldiers. Following, a quick guide to "the peace drug"

April 26, 2010

AV_Archive_ID1940

Rick Doblin and Charles Grob spoke on KQED, San Franciso's largest NPR station. The audio file can also be heard at KQED's Website:

April 23, 2010

CNN: Hallucinogens Could Treat Ailments

April 23, 2010

Psychedelic drugs aid anxiety treatments in cancer patients

With this mention in the USA Today, it really does seem that the mainstream media has become friendly to discussing psychedelic research!

April 23, 2010

AV_Archive_ID1937

Associated Press: "Cancer Patients go on Psychedelic Trip."

April 23, 2010

AV_Archive_ID1932

CNN: Hallucinogens Could Treat Ailments.

April 23, 2010

Cancer Patients go on a Psychedelic Trip

This video news article interviews Steve Ross M.D. of the NYU psilocybin/cancer anxiety reserch team and one of his subjects who took psilocybin under his care.

April 21, 2010

Amanda Feilding’s Talk at the Psychedelic Science in the 21st Century Conference

The text of Beckley Foundation Director Amanda Feilding's opening talk at Psychedelic Science in the 21st Century was reprnted on the Huffington Post.

April 21, 2010

Study of Vets Finds Ecstasy an Effective Treatment For PTSD

April 21, 2010

Psychedelic Drugs For Your Health

Watch it on the on the MAPS website (or fullscreen on CNN's website.)

This is one of many great media pieces that arose from the Psychedelic Science in the 21st Century conference. This television news piece features interviews with Steven Ross, M.D. from the NYU psilocybin/cancer research team and CNN health correspondent Sanjay Gupta, M.D.

April 21, 2010

AV_Archive_ID1939

CNN: Psychedelic Drugs for your Health.

April 20, 2010

Science Takes a New Look at Psychedelics

This television news article (MOV) features short interviews with Rick Doblin and Michael Mithoefer, and coverage of the Psychedelic Science in 21st Century conference. (Watch in fullscreen at CNN's website.)

April 20, 2010

Santa Cruz Psychedelic Drug Research Group Sees Progress

This is a different version of the article that appeared in the Silicon Valley Metro News the week before the Psychedelic Science in the 21st Century conference.

April 20, 2010

Can the Peace Drug Help Clean Up the War Mess?

At the Psychedelic Science conference, researchers reported positive results on the effectiveness of MDMA in relieving PTSD and talked about psilocybin in reducing stress in late-stage cancer patients

April 20, 2010

Psychedelic confab closes in NorCal

The largest gathering on psychedelic science in four decades has been held in San Jose, California.

April 19, 2010

Party drug ecstasy eases PTSD in small study

Talk therapy combined with MDMA curbed distress, experiment showed

April 19, 2010

Psychedelics Soothe Dying: NYU Researchers Study Use of Psilocybin to Help the Terminally Ill

April 19, 2010

Psychedelic Conference a Big Hit

Timothy Leary once said that “We are dealing with the best-educated generation in history, but they’ve got a brain dressed up with nowhere to go.” Well, they could have gone to the San Jose Holiday Inn to attend the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) Conference. The Santa Cruz-based group brought together 1,000 people to discuss the benefits of psychedelic drugs, especially as a means of helping people tackling such problems as depression, OCD and PTSD.

April 18, 2010

Psychedelics conference describes the long strange trip to the lab

This article discusses the close of the Psychedelic Science conference in San Jose, California. (Reprinted in the Philadelphia Inquirer with the title, "Psychedelic drugs get a second look from science.")

April 17, 2010

Psychedelic Science Connie Littlefields’ Tribute to the Shulgins

Psychedelic Science in the 21st Century - Shulgin Tribute from Conceptafilm on YouTube.

April 17, 2010

Ecstasy could help ease trauma long term

Ecstasy pills may offer treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), say experts. According to clinical-trial results presented at a conference in San Jose, California, the effect of the party drug seems to continue for years after the initial treatment, reports Nature.

April 16, 2010

Party drug could ease trauma long term

Ecstasy, a drug that is illegal in most countries, is showing increasing potential as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to clinical-trial results presented at a conference in San Jose, California, today. The effect seems to continue for years after the initial treatment.

April 15, 2010

Forum

Rick Doblin, Ph.D. and Charles Grob, M.D. spoke on KQED, San Franciso's largest NPR station the opening morning of Psyhcedelic Science in the 21st Century.

April 13, 2010

Hallucinogens Tested to Help Treat Cancer Patients

According to The New York Times doctors are dabbling in psychedelic drugs, like psilocybin, to treat patients with depression and anxiety with a new focus on the terminally ill. To further investigate the effects of hallucinogens the Johns Hopkins Psilocybin Cancer Project is looking for cancer patients between the ages of 21 and 70 who are willing to volunteer. Eligibility requirements include a cancer diagnosis that is potentially life-threatening and experiences of anxiety or depressed mood.

April 13, 2010

Psilocybin, psychedelics back on scientific radar

Since the early 1960s scientific research into Psilocybin and other hallucinogenic drugs has been at a standstill because of widely held taboos. In the twenty-first century that bias is fading and the medical value of psychedelics is again in the news.

April 12, 2010

Hallucinogens Have Doctors Tuning In Again

This article by John Tierney, written for the NY Times Health section, gives an overview of emerging psychedelic research in medicine. The article follows up with a patient who participated in the Johns Hopkins Psilocybin end-of-life distress study as an introduction to the greater psychedelic science community. Rick Doblin, president of MAPS, is quoted, as well as UCLAs Dr. Charles Grob.

April 12, 2010

Doctors Again Dabbling in Psychedelic Drugs

Katie Drummond, a contributor for AOL News, followed up the recent NY Times article "Hallucinogens Have Doctors Tuning In Again", by expanding on psychedelic science being conducted in the U.S. The article has quotes from Michael Mithoefer, a MAPS-sponsored psychiatrist in Charleston, S.C., who has been running FDA-approved studies using MDMA.

January 5, 2010

AV_Archive_ID1938

From Neurons To Nirvana
a film by Oliver Hockenhull

Watch the trailer on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut25vuxP564

November 17, 2009

AV_Archive_ID1933

Rick Doblin's 2009 Google Tech Talk is available for download as a single MP3 file.

November 17, 2009

AV_Archive_ID1931

MAPS Executive Director Rick Doblin Ph.D. gave a talk titled "Mainstreaming Psychedelics: From FDA to Harvard to Burning Man"at the Google campus in Mountain View, California. His talk was part of Google's "Google Tech Talks Series."

September 28, 2009

AV_Archive_ID1935

MAPS staff members Randolph Hencken,M.A., Brian Wallace, Amy Emerson, and Jalene Otto spoke at the 2009 Symbiosis Gathering talks. This presentation is available for download as a single MP3 file, as well as the 2009 Symbiosis Visionary Futures panel featuring Alex and Allyson Grey, Daniel Pinchbeck, and many others .

August 13, 2009

AV_Archive_ID1930

Joanna Harcourt-Smith of FuturePrimative.org interviewed Rick Doblin, PhD, MAPS founder and Executive Director for two podcasts. Rick spoke at length about MAPS latest projects, the recent special edition of the MAPS Bulletin on psychedelics and ecology, and a smorgasbord of other topics from the therapeutic value of mystical experiences to the politics of psychedelic research. The podcasts are available here (episode 1; episode 2).

August 1, 2009

AV_Archive_ID1934

Rick Doblin's 2009 Santa Cruz Brunch Talk is available for download as a single MP3 file.

June 16, 2009

AV_Archive_ID1929

Gnostic Media. Psycho-spiritual evolution an interview with Dr. Neal Goldsmith. Hosted by Jan Irvin.

This podcast has an interview with MAPS' good friend Dr. Neal Goldsmith. This an in-depth discussion of the influence of psychedelics on psychotherapy, with a lot about his personal background and experience.

June 12, 2009

AV_Archive_ID1928

Michael Mithoefer was recently featured on British TV News Channel 4 about MAPS' MDMA PTSD reasearch.

June 1, 2009

AV_Archive_ID1927

MAPS' new podcast series, Psychedelic Spotlight (right click and select "Save file as..." to download), hosted by Ken Allen, debuted with an interview with MAPS President Rick Doblin Ph.D.

April 9, 2009

AV_Archive_ID1926

Rick Doblin Interviewed on the Opium Den:

MAPS president >Rick Doblin was interviewed on the online radio show The Opium Den Talkshow. The shows host Daniel Williams really enjoyed interviewing Rick and was particularly intrigued by stories of Ricks troubles as a younger man.

January 14, 2009

AV_Archive_ID1925

MAPS President Rick Doblin PhD Podcast Available at Gnostic Media.

On December 29, 2008, Jan Irvin uploaded a fantastic interview with MAPS President Rick Doblin PhD. The podcast is available on the Gnostic Media Website at: www.gnosticmedia.podomatic.com

Jan has two other podcasts that should interest MAPS supporters. On January 5, 2009 Jan posted an interview with Dr. Stanislav Grof who discusses LSD research and on January 12, Jan posted an interview with Dr. Roland Griffiths, who talks about psilocybin research.

November 20, 2008

MAPS President Rick Doblin Debates Drug Policy in Ireland at Trinity College.

On October 9, 2008, MAPS President Rick Doblin was in Ireland to debate drug policy reform at the worlds oldest debating society, in the 324th Session of the University Philosophical Society, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.

We have archived transcripts of Rick Doblin's, Tony Allwirght's, and Jonathan Wyse's speeches.

The University Philosophical Society, which was founded in 1684, funded Ricks trip to Ireland. Supporting the legalization of drugs was Rick, German publisher and drug legalization advocate Werner Pieper, and Trinity Colleges Paul O'Mahony. Supporting continued criminalization was former Fine Gael (centre-right Irish political party) spokesperson on drug policy Damien English, head of the Health Service Executive's drugs and alcohol program Chris Murphy, columnist and blogger Tony Allwright, and Jonathan Wyse.

Traditionally, the Phil has been a paper-reading Society, which means that our debates generally open with an essay on the subject under discussion, prepared by one of our members. Ricks invitation stated. Our invited speakers and members of the Society are then given the opportunity to speak in response and bring their expertise and experience to bear on the essayist's ideas.

November 20, 2008

AV_Archive_ID1922

CNN: "Ecstasy may help PTSD." Reported by CNN Chief Health Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

This two-minute cable television news segment was broadcast the day Dr. Mithoefer presented the findings of our MDMA/PTSD pilot study at the International Society for Traumatic Studies conference. Gail Westerfeld, one of Mithoefers Subjects, told CNN that she has been without nightmares for four years after her MDMA-assisted therapy sessions.

November 13, 2008

AV_Archive_ID1921

CNN: "Ecstasy may help PTSD." Reported by CNN Chief Health Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

October 15, 2008

AV_Archive_ID1936

Ralph Metzner's, Rick Doblin's, and Valerie Mojeiko's 2008 Bioneers Talks is available for download as a single MP3 file.

September 30, 2008

Rick Doblin Speaks at Horizons 2008 Part 1