MAPS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research and educational organization that develops medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful uses of psychedelics and marijuana. The organization is focused on developing psychedelics and marijuana into prescription medicines, training therapists, and working to establish a network of treatment centers, supporting scientific research into spirituality, creativity, and neuroscience, and educating the public honestly about the risks and benefits of psychedelics and marijuana. MAPS was founded in 1986 by Rick Doblin and is headquartered in Santa Cruz, California.