Interview with Rick Doblin, Executive Director and Founder of MAPS

Over the last several decades, Rick Doblin and his organization, MAPS, have been at the forefront of changing cultural attitudes surrounding psychedelics. They have accomplished this through several avenues.

The first is researching the medical applications of psychedelics. Most prominently, they have been testing treating severe PTSD with MDMA-assisted therapy, the results of which have been amazing. For example, in their most recent phase 3 clinical trial, 67% of patients with severe PTSD improved so much they no longer qualified for the diagnosis of PTSD. In this interview, James and Rick discuss this trial and upcoming follow-up trials.

MAPS has also been involved in extensive psychedelic education campaigns. Their newest endeavor is a “psychonaut training program”, which will teach regular people how to “trip” properly, and how to be a trip sitter.

Finally, James and Rick discuss his wild plan in the 80s to send MDMA to the Soviet Union in an attempt to make nuclear negotiators more empathetic.

Join us on this amazing journey.