Ann and Alexander Shulgin

Alexander developed a new synthesis of MDMA in 1976 after a student told him of its effects, and introduced it to the psychologist Leo Zeff. Ann, a lay therapist rather than a licensed one, used it with clients before its 1985 ban. His DEA research licence was surrendered in 1994 after a laboratory raid.

Udo Benzenhöfer & Torsten Passie, 'Rediscovering MDMA (ecstasy): the role of the American chemist Alexander T. Shulgin', Addiction 105 (2010); Torsten Passie, 'The early use of MDMA (Ecstasy) in psychotherapy (1977–1985)', Drug Science, Policy and Law 4 (2018)