Skip to main content

DARE works directly with Burmese ethnic communities to provide development and to strengthen addiction education and has been using ear-acupuncture (NADA Protocol) as an adjunct treatment


There are currently no other addiction prevention education, treatment, relapse prevention programs on the border.  Burma is one of the biggest illicit producers of opium, heroin and methamphetamines in the world.  Estimates of addiction rates in the ethnic areas of Burma range from 40 – 85% of the total population.  The majority of ethnic young people of Burma are reported to be addicted to methamphetamines, alcohol, nicotine and other drugs.  The reasons for these high addiction rates are rooted in the social and economic systems of Burma. DARE works directly with Burmese ethnic communities to provide development and to strengthen addiction education and treatment within the ethnic communities, and has been using ear-acupuncture (NADA Protocol) as an adjunct treatment.


Mr. Vatsyayan went to the border area of Burma and Thailand in March, 2005, representing Nada India Foundation to develop the links with  the organizations. He visited the de-addiction centers run by DARE project in the refugee camps. Nada India is a technical partner. He also visited several organizations including UNODC, Thailand Harm-Reduction Forum, DARE Project, NA (Narcotics Anonymous) hoping to collaborate and network in future years on ear- acupuncture. 
Later ,he went with Ms.Pallavi Project Director Pehchaan ,Nada India and conducted workshops on counselling skill with staff and volunteers of DARE Project working with displaced people from Burma.    

Popular posts from this blog

Barrier Free Service : Use of ear acupuncture for treatment and rehabilitation of drug users at NISD

National Institute of Social Defence  (NISD), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India invited Nada India team to conduct a mini workshop on  Barrier Free Service : Use of ear acupuncture for treatment and rehabilitation of drug users . NISD has been  organising  3 Months Certificate Course on De-addiction Counselling and  Rehabilitation  from 12th March to 10th June 2012 at NISD R.K.Puram , New  Delhi. Dr.Uttam Singh conducting a training cum acudetox session  Dr.Uttam skilled hand in action with NADA acupuncture for well being   This  training  course is to enhance the capacity of service providers  (Project Incharge/Counsellors/Social Workers from different parts of India like Kerala,Chattisgarh, Zharkhand,U.P.Nagaland, Shilong,Karnataka,Maharashtra,Tamilnadu, Mizoram,Maharashtra ,Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi ) of NGOs working in the area of  drug demand reduction in order to enable them to implement the program in  efficient and effe

'NADA acupuncture is a public health model... says Dr. Michael.O. Smith

'NADA acupuncture is a public health model that adds a valuable component to the behavioral health fields', says Dr. Michael.O. Smith, Some were dozing off;some with  drooping.heads;some in a sort of trance;some snoring off. They all had one thing in common- sterilized  acupuncture  needles carefully pierced in one of  their ears. It was a cloudy and chilly  February afternoon in Delhi. Even some of the large contingent of journalists who routinely take the flights of steps at the reception of the I N S building in Rafi Marg were inquisitive. A couple of them were led to the few vacant seats so were some of the non journalists INS staff. Acupuncture Detoxification specialist and associates and assistant  inserted needles in their ears with care and precisely without hurting them. Presiding over this demonstration was Dr. Michael.O.Smith,Chairperson NADA International who has pioneered and spearheaded a NADA world wide social movement with NADA  protocol

A statement about Michael Smith by his family

  * A statement about Michael Smith We are respectfully submitting this history as we, his family, experienced it. We hope it is helpful. Deborah Valentine Smith I recently attended an excellent webinar on t he African American History of Acupuncture by  Dr.  Tenisha Dandridge, hosted by Acupuncturists without Borders. The history of Lincoln Hospital and Lincoln Detox in the 1970’s was of special interest to me,  as I participated in much of it and may have a unique perspective, as I was married to Mike Smith at the time. While I appreciated much of the history shared in this Webinar, I can’t agree with a couple of the statements about Mike. The statement in Dr. Dandridge’s presentation that “he did not approve of the politics brought with the free clinics,” makes it sound like Mike did not approve of the free clinics themselves. Mike’s history as a medical student and doctor was all about free clinics. Mike started working with the Black Panther Party when he was a medical student in