ADS Laws by State
This page lists every state with an ADS law. An ADS law is state-level legislation that regulates the practice of auricular acupuncture by an Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist (ADS) or an Auricular Acu-Technician (AAT).
These laws govern who is authorized to practice the auricular acupuncture protocol (commonly known as the 5-needle protocol, or 5NP), what training is required, and the scope and conditions under which the service can be provided. States without ADS laws are not listed here.
States without ADS laws where people are organizing for changeCalifornia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Washington
States with ADS laws where people are organizing to get the POCA training approvedMichigan, New York
Color key
POCA training approvedAZ, MA, ME, MD, TX, UT, WV, NH, VA, OR
POCA training would be accepted (not formally approved)AL, AR, CO, OK, RI, SD, VT, WY
POCA training could be approvedDE, GA, IN, MI, MS, NM, NY, SC, TN
More restrictive terminology or physician delegationCT, LA, NC, OH, WI, WA, plus CA (no ADS law)
United States
| State | Type | Training requirement | Who can practice | Terminology | Supervision | Restrictions & scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL | Not regulated | — | Anybody | — | — | None |
| AZ | Statutory | Auricular Acupuncture Certification from the State of AZ. Training program in auricular acupuncture for the treatment of alcoholism, substance abuse, trauma, or chemical dependency. CNT. POCA AAT certificate approved 7/19 | Anybody | Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist | General, AZ LAc | Before treating a patient, an auricular acupuncturist shall obtain from the patient a signed informed consent that has been approved by the Board.
Full details: azleg.gov (PDF) |
| AR | Statutory | Education not specified. | Anybody | ADS, registered | General, DOM | Substance abuse treatment only. Detox specialists shall register with the Board. They shall be permitted to use only the five (5) point ear protocol of NADA for substance abuse and shall not treat or offer treatment in any other capacity. |
| CANo ADS law · Organizing for change | No ADS law | No ADS or auricular detox pathway. Needling the ear for the 5NP is treated as the practice of acupuncture and requires a full California acupuncture license from the Acupuncture Board, unless the person is in one of the exempt professions listed in the next column.
Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 4935: CA Acupuncture Board laws & regulations (PDF) |
Licensed acupuncturists (LAc), physicians and surgeons (MD and DO), dentists, and podiatrists only. Other licensed health professionals, including RNs, NPs, counselors, and social workers, may not perform or supervise needling. | — | Not applicable. No delegation to non-licensed ADS practitioners. | Practicing acupuncture without a license, or by an otherwise-licensed health professional outside the exempt list, is a misdemeanor. |
| CO | Statutory | Any appropriate training.
“In 2020, the general assembly repealed the requirement in the mental health practice act that a professional must be licensed, registered, or certified as a mental health professional in order to practice auricular acudetox. The act makes a conforming amendment to clarify that it is not an unlawful act for a professional who is trained to perform auricular acudetox to perform the practice without a license, registration, or certification as a mental health professional.” HB21-1146 |
— | Auricular Acudetox | None | For stress, trauma, alcoholism, substance abuse, or chemical dependency programs, etc. |
| CT | Statutory | Must maintain certification with NADA. | Anybody | Auricular Acupuncture | General supervision by an MD within 20 minutes of the site, with a review and on-site visit every 3 months | State, federal, or board-approved alcohol, substance abuse, nicotine dependency, or chemical dependency program, or other healthcare setting approved by the Board and Council. |
| DE | Statutory | NADA or equivalent that meets or exceeds the standards of training set by NADA, including instruction in clean needle technique. | Healthcare-related profession | ADS, licensed | None | State, federal, or board-approved alcohol, substance abuse, nicotine dependency, or chemical dependency program, or other healthcare setting approved by the Board and Council. |
| GA | Statutory | Successfully completed a nationally recognized training program in auricular (ear) detoxification therapy for the treatment of chemical dependence as approved by the Board; board-approved CNT. | 21+ | Auricular Detoxification Technician (ADT), licensed | Direct supervision of LAc or MD with acupuncture training | Must be provided in a city, county, state, federal, or private chemical dependency program approved by the Medical Board. |
| IN | Statutory | Successful completion of a board-approved training program in acupuncture for the treatment of alcoholism, substance abuse, or chemical dependency that meets or exceeds the standards of training set by NADA; CNT. | Anybody | Auricular acupuncture, no designation | General by LAc or MD | Within the context of a state, federal, or board-approved alcohol, substance abuse, or chemical dependency program. |
| LA | Statutory | NADA training by a registered NADA trainer; NADA certification. | Anybody | ADS, certification | General supervision by acupuncturist assistant or MD | None |
| MA | Statutory | A certificate of completion from NADA or from a state-recognized organization or agency that meets or exceeds the NADA training standards. | Licensed physicians, licensed psychologists, licensed PCNS, LICSW, LCSW, LMHC, CARN, LADC I or LADC II, CADC II or CADC, RNs and NPs | ADS, licensed “qualified professional” | General supervision of a licensed acupuncturist | Auricular acupuncture must be performed in: (i) a private, freestanding facility licensed by the department that provides care or treatment for individuals with substance use disorders or other addictive disorders; (ii) a facility under the direction and supervision of the department of mental health; (iii) a setting approved or licensed by the department of mental health; or (iv) any other setting where auricular acupuncture detoxification is an appropriate adjunct therapy to a substance use disorder or behavioral health treatment program; provided, however, that individual or 1-on-1 appointments with a health care provider shall occur within a setting permissible under this subsection. |
| MD | Statutory | Minimum 70-hour basic training, of which 40 hours are clinical training, covering a long list of specifics including “at least 20 treatments during a 4-hour period with good point location and techniques.” | Certified Professional Counselors, Certified Associate Counselors, supervised counselors (all specific to alcohol and drug), Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselors, Psychologists, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, and Nurses | ADS, registered | General / occasional direct by LAc or MD with acu-detox training | Professional setting approved by the Board of Acupuncture that meets reasonable community standards, or a clinical substance abuse program or professional setting for patients with documented substance abuse concerns. |
| ME | Statutory | Training from NADA or other board-approved auricular acupuncture training, including POCA training. Licensed by the Board of Complementary Health Care Providers. | Certified/licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselors, Physicians, PAs, Nurses, NPs, Professional Counselors, Psychologists, Licensed Social Workers | ADS, Licensed ADS | General by LAc with license in good standing | NADA protocol; substance use and co-occurring disorders. |
| MIOrganizing for change | Statutory | Certified as ADSes by NADA “or an organization that the Board determines to be a successor organization.” | Anybody | ADS | LAc or MDs with acupuncture training | Must be used for substance use disorder treatment. |
| MS | Restricted | NADA or other national entity approved by the advisory committee. | Anybody | Auricular Detox Technician (ADT) | LAc with 4 hours face-to-face time each month | Must be provided in a hospital, clinic, or treatment facility which provides comprehensive substance abuse services and maintains necessary licenses and certification. |
| NC | Physician delegation | — | — | — | — | — |
| NH | Statutory | NADA training or a training that meets or exceeds the NADA training, as determined by the board. POCA training approved by the board 2/24 | Licensed health care professionals, recovery coaches, peer counselors, or other board-approved NT professionals (anybody) | ADS certification | General by LAc | Must be provided for the purposes of behavioral health applications, including addictions, mental health, and disaster and emotional trauma. |
| NM | Statutory | Must complete an Acupuncture Board-approved training. Please read all of the details on NM’s requirements. | Anybody | ADS, certification | General by DOM | Must be provided for the purpose of harm reduction or treating and preventing alcoholism, substance abuse, or chemical dependency. This can be done only within an Acupuncture Board-approved treatment program that demonstrates experience in disease prevention, harm reduction, or the treatment or prevention of alcoholism, substance abuse, or chemical dependency. |
| NYOrganizing for change | Statutory | Valid certification. | Anybody | — | General by DOM | Must be provided for the purpose of substance abuse treatment. |
| OH | Physician delegation | — | — | — | — | — |
| OK | Not regulated | — | Anybody | — | — | No restrictions |
| OR | Statutory | Must meet educational requirements and register with the Oregon Medical Board. | Anybody | AAT, registered | TBD — rules and regs by March 2026 | TBD — rules and regs by March 2026 |
| RI | Statutory | Meets or exceeds the NADA training from a recognized agency. | Licensed chemical dependency professionals, social workers, peer recovery counselors, mental health counselors, and nurses | ADS, licensed “qualified professional” | General by LAc | May be provided within the provider’s current scope of practice, working in or in collaboration with behavioral health and healthcare agencies or other state-approved programs or agencies. |
| SC | Statutory | Nationally recognized training program in auricular detoxification therapy for the treatment of chemical dependency, detoxification, and substance abuse, as approved by the board; CNT. | 21+ | Auricular Detoxification Therapy, Auricular Therapist / ADS, licensed | Direct by LAc or MD | Must be provided for the purposes of treatment of chemical dependency, detoxification, and substance abuse. |
| SD | Not regulated | — | Anybody | — | — | No restrictions |
| TN | Statutory | Board-approved training program in auricular detoxification acupuncture. To become board-approved, the training program must meet or exceed standards of training set by NADA. | Anybody | ADS, certification | General by LAc | Must be provided in a hospital, clinic, or treatment facility that provides comprehensive alcohol and substance abuse or chemical dependency services, including counseling. |
| TX | Statutory | Successfully completed a training program in acupuncture detoxification that meets guidelines approved by the medical board. POCA training approved 8/4/23 | Licensed Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Psychologists, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselors, Licensed Vocational Nurses, and Licensed Registered Nurses if NT. Continuing education is required and includes six hours of education in the practice of acupuncture and a course in either CNT or universal infection control precaution procedures. | ADS, certification | General by LAc or MD | For the treatment of addiction, trauma, or physical, emotional, or psychological stress.
Bill passed with expanded scope, in effect September 1, 2023: HB 1106 |
| UT | Statutory | NADA or POCA AAT training approved | MD, DO, Chiropractor, Naturopathic Physician, Licensed Acupuncturist, RN, APRN, LPN, PA, Psychologist, LCSW, CSW, LMFT, CMHC, SUDC, ASUDC | — | — | Adjunct treatment for substance use disorders and mental health/trauma. |
| VT | Statutory | Deregulated 7/1/19. Practitioner (1) has appropriate training in CNT, (2) uses sterile, single-use needles, without reuse, (3) does not claim to treat any disease, disorder, infirmity or affliction by using auriculotherapy, (4) does not use any letters, words, or insignia indicating or implying that he or she is an acupuncturist, and (5) does not make any statement implying that his or her practice of auriculotherapy is licensed, certified or otherwise overseen by the State of VT. | Anybody | — | None | None |
| VA | Statutory | NADA or an equivalent certifying body, including POCA | Anybody | — | None | Exempt from regulation as an acupuncturist as long as practitioners only use 5NP. |
| WAOrganizing for change | Physician delegation | — | — | — | — | — |
| WV | Statutory | NADA or equivalent. POCA approved Must be 18 years old. | Physician Assistant, Dentist, Registered Nurse, Practical Nurse, Psychologist, Occupational Therapist, Social Worker, Professional Counselor, Emergency Medical Services Professional, correctional medical providers, and any other profession the board determines is eligible to engage in the practice of auricular acudetox | — | None | Treatment of substance abuse, alcoholism, chemical dependency, detox, behavioral therapy, or trauma recovery. |
| WY | Statutory | NADA or equivalent. | Anybody | Auricular Acupuncture, licensed (?) | None | Must be provided within the scope of the health care provider’s practice for the purpose of treating mental and emotional health, post and acute trauma, and/or substance abuse and chemical dependency. |
| WI | Physician delegation | — | — | — | — | — |
Canada
| Province / territory | Type | Who can practice | Supervision | Restrictions & scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BC | Physician delegation | — | — | — |
| AB | Physician delegation | — | — | — |
| SK | Unregulated | Anybody | None | None |
| QC | Physician delegation | — | — | — |
| ON | Physician delegation | — | — | — |
| MB | Unregulated | Anybody | None | None |
| NL | Physician delegation | — | — | — |
| NS | Unregulated | Anybody | None | None |
| NB | Unregulated | Anybody | None | None |
| PE | Unregulated | Anybody | None | None |
| YT | Unregulated | Anybody | None | None |
| NU | Unregulated | Anybody | None | None |
| NT | Unregulated | Anybody | None | None |