Santa Cruz's MAPS Studying Effects of Ecstasy on End-of-Life Care

The Drug Enforcement Agency has approved a Bay Area nonprofit to study the impact of using Ecstasy to treat terminally ill patients.

Santa Cruz's Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) will start a clinical trial to study a combination of pure MDMA and therapy to treat anxiety for 18 end-of-life patients. MAPS has now been approved for seven separate studies of MDMA, more than any other organization; the majority of them focus on treating patients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

"They've been approved for all studies before, but the latest nod seems indicative of a shift in the DEA's stand on the dangers of the drug," reports Engadget.

MAPS researches possible beneficial applications of several psychedelic substances. The organization will present a public program called "Psychedelic Experience: New Uses and Research" at Sofia University in Palo Alto on April 17.

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