In 1996, MAPS has budgeted $10,000 to sponsor the first human subject study with 4-methyl aminorex, a Schedule 1 drug that has sometimes been referred to as "Euphoria". This little-known substance is not a drug with substantial therapeutic potential, rather it could be called an intellectual performance-enhancing drug.
4-methyl aminorex produces a very long-lasting experience of about sixteen hours that is characterized by an increase in attention and an enhanced ability to recall, analyze and process information. What distinguishes 4-methyl aminorex from other substances like caffeine and nicotine, which also have these effects though to a lesser degree, is its effect on emotions. The 4-methyl aminorex experience resembles a low dose of MDMA in that it helps alleviate anxiety. 4-methyl aminorex enhances that aspect of intellectual work that questions, probes and explores the unknown. Some users are reporting that it helps remove "writer's block".
By virtue of its unique combination of intellectual and emotional effects, 4-methyl aminorex could enable researchers to study the subtle interplay between cognition, memory and emotion. 4-methyl aminorex may be the single most important drug for which research is not currently being attempted. MAPS' goal in 1996 is to locate a researcher interested in seeking FDA approval to conduct a small pilot study into its risks and benefits to begin the effort to obtain approval for research.