Rick Doblin is an American researcher and advocate for the use of psychedelic substances in therapeutic and spiritual contexts. He is the founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), a non-profit organization that conducts clinical research, education, and advocacy related to psychedelics.
Doblin received his Ph.D. in public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, where he wrote his dissertation on the regulation of the medical uses of psychedelics and marijuana. He founded MAPS in 1986 with the goal of developing medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful uses of psychedelics.
Under Doblin’s leadership, MAPS has conducted multiple clinical trials investigating the therapeutic potential of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with the goal of making MDMA an FDA-approved prescription medication. MAPS has also sponsored research on the use of other psychedelics, such as psilocybin and ayahuasca, for various mental health conditions.
Doblin has been a prominent advocate for drug policy reform and has worked to educate policymakers and the public about the potential benefits of psychedelics. He has been recognized for his work with numerous awards, including the Alexander Shulgin Award for the Advancement of Psychedelic Science and the San Francisco Psychedelic Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
