Encouraging Community Wellness for Behavioral Health (Addiction,NCDs and Mental Health)

  From Dr. Michael O. Smith’s legacy to a larger vision of behavioural health, prevention and community wellbeing. At the NADA GB 2026 Conference , held on 24 October 2026 in the UK, Suneel Vatsyayan , Social Worker, Addiction Therapist and NADA Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist from India, shared his perspective on “ NADA India’s Vision: Beyond Needles. ” His video presentation, featured in the conference programme under “NADA’s Role in Behavioural Health” , explored how the NADA Protocol can contribute to a wider ecosystem of engagement, recovery, prevention and community wellbeing. Beyond the Protocol: The Person at the Centre Suneel’s journey with NADA began in 1999, when he was trained under Dr. Michael O. Smith and Ruth Ackerman at the Navjyoti Delhi Police Foundation . He continued his training at Lincoln Recovery Center, New York, in 2001. Coming from a social work background, he developed an understanding of NADA that extended beyond the technical application of ear ac...

The Indian Association of Acupuncture Detoxification Specialists (IAADS) submitted its SMART Commitments in support of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 , which were formally acknowledged at the Closing Ceremony of the Second Global Summit on Traditional Medicine , held in New Delhi on 19 December 2024 . Submitted by Dr. Ajay, President of IAADS , the presentation took place in the presence of the Honourable Prime Minister of India , the WHO Director-General , and the Honourable Union Ministers for Health and Family Welfare and AYUSH , highlighting India’s leadership in ethical, community-based Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) . The Indian Association of Acupuncture Detoxification Specialists (IAADS) is honoured to share that its SMART Commitments were among sixty global commitments submitted in support of the World Health Organization’s Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034. These commitments were formally acknowledged during t...

Tobacco Cessation: From Inner Calm to AI-Driven Solutions —  A Path Shaped by NADA protocol In an era increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence and digital innovations, tobacco cessation strategies must evolve to address both emotional and technological dimensions. While AI-powered conversational solutions offer promising avenues to assist individuals in quitting tobacco and preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the most profound change often begins internally.  As Dr. Michael O. Smith, founder of the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA), aptly stated, “NADA acupuncture teaches us to relax from the inside out.”  This internal transformation is crucial. Individuals, particularly adolescents, youth, women, and marginalized communities, often grapple with stress, trauma, or stigma, making discussions about tobacco use, mental health, or domestic violence challenging. To surmount these barriers, a fusion of compassionate, community-based met...

Dr.Michael O. Smith presenting in Germany in 2003.... As a doctor, part of my responsibility is not just to treat people but to set up a treatment system for a lot of people.  So you set up a treatment system that is very teachable and very reproducible.  We use ear acupuncture in ways that are convenient and then ways that are necessary in terms of treatment.  For instance, I run an AIDS clinic every week – I have an assistant to treat ear points before I do body points, because I want to settle people down and reduce fear and improve their focus.  Then the rest of the treatment will go better. We used to think that we were using ear points just for convenience, and, if we only knew the right body points, it would work a lot better.  It took me several years to understand that this is not the case.  If I had to use body points for addiction, I would do less well than if I had used ear points.  I started out thinking just the opposite – I e...

Nada India  poster on acudetox as best practice was presented at 68th IOGT International world congress , acudetox training was conducted by Dr. Francesco Piani  psychiatrist and Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist from Italy conducted acudetox sessions along with  Suneel Vatsyayan chairperson  Nada India  and Pallavi   — with   Francesco Piani   and   2 others   at  Cha-am Villa Beach Hotel .  

The free Acudetox Public Camp was successfully held at  Malad Mumbai on 21st September 2014, around 35 people treated. This camp was an initiative of Abdul Naeem Siddiqui NADA Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist from Mumbra near Mumbai and his associates.  Nada India aims to reduce risk factors like tobacco use ,alcohol,Physical inactivity and Unhealthy diet. Nada India is committed to reduce risk factors among slum and urban village population through acudetox counselling camps. Acupuncture can very efficiently help reduce this burden. Role of Acupuncture in future of public health is manifold, as our public health scenario will move more and more towards non-communicable diseases. This acudetox camp was as part of follow up of earlier acudetox counselling workshop in the month of May 2014 .The camp was organised by National Security and Anti corruption and crime prevention Brigade ,Help Hand  Chikitsa Kendera and Aziziya Education and Social Welfare Society....