Although many people are sceptical about acupuncture, in general cocaine addicts turn out to be quite satisfied with it. The results with hashish addicts have been less positive. After they stopped smoking hashish, traces of THC, the active ingredient in hashish, remain in their urine for weeks, whereas within three days, the urine of cocaine users is clean. A heavy hashish smoker is apt to exhibit such symptoms as restlessness, depression and craving for quite some time. Experience has shown that this category of addicts often prematurely drop out of the clinical as well as the outpatient treatment programmes.
Acupuncture is effective in reducing mood changes, irritability, insomnia and fatigue.
Auricular acupuncture has successfully been used within the county of Hampshire by the Winchester drug problem team, Highclere detoxification centre and Face to Face Dasein. All practitioners were fully trained and in some cases electro stimulation was used over a period of five years. Other treatments are also used to compliment the acupuncture. Moxibustion involves stimulating acupuncture points with heat. Electrostimulation enhances the effect of the needles and can be used to either stimulate or sedate.