Capstone Campaign, a non-profit fundraising effort to fund the final research required to seek U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Legal efforts Medical cannabis monopoly National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has a government granted monopoly on the production of cannabis for medical research purposes. In the past, the institute has refused to supply marijuana to researchers who had obtained all other necessary federal permits. Medical marijuana researchers and activists claim that NIDA, which is not supposed to be a regulatory organization, does not have the authority to effectively regulate who does and doesn't get to do research with medical marijuana. Jag Davies of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) writes in MAPS Bulletin: NIDA administers a contract with the University of Mississippi to grow the nation's only legal cannabis crop for medical and research purposes, including the Compassionate Investigational New Drug program. United States federal law registers cannabis as a Schedule I drug. Medical marijuana researchers typically prefer to use high-potency marijuana, but NIDA's National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse has been reluctant to provide cannabis with high THC levels, citing safety concerns: Major events in recent proceedings are notable, as in the 2007 ruling by Administrative Law Judge Mary Ellen Bittner, wherein she recommended that Craker receive a license to grow marijuana for research and that NIDA dismantle its monopoly. The DEA in response overturned the recommended ruling in January 2009, and later denied Craker's Motion to Reconsider in December 2010. In March 2011, Craker's lawyers submitted their final brief in the case. MAPS is pursuing efforts to have the DEA's final ruling rescinded. A detailed timeline of MAPS' attempts to gain access to research grade marijuana is available on the MAPS website. In 2016, the Obama administration DEA announced their intent to grant additional licenses to marijuana growers for research, ending the NIDA monopoly on federally legal marijuana. The DEA finalized the proposed rule in early 2020. See also Drug development Beckley Foundation Heffter Research Institute TAPS The Latin America Version of MAPS for Therapists References External links List of MAPS staff Psychedelic drug research Drug policy organizations based in the United States Drug policy reform Non-profit organizations based in California Organizations established in 1986 Medical and health organizations based in California 501(c)(3) organizations 1986 establishments in California Medicinal use of cannabis organizations based in the United