Acupuncture (from Lat. acus, “needle” (noun), and pungere, “prick” (verb)) or in Standard Mandarin, zhÄ“n jǐu (針灸), is one of the main branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine (others being herbal medicine and tui na). It is a therapeutic technique from that framework intended to restore health and well-being. The term acupuncture is often used by Westerners to refer to Chinese medicine generally. The technique involves the insertion of needles into “acupuncture points” on the body by trained practitioners. The needles most commonly used in present-day practice are made of stainless steel and are of approximately the same diameter as a medium thickness guitar string (from approximately .01″ to .02″)

The NIH consensus statement noted that there is clear evidence that needle acupuncture is efficacious for adult postoperative and chemotherapy nausea and vomiting and probably for the nausea of pregnancy… There is reasonable evidence of efficacy for postoperative dental pain… reasonable studies (although sometimes only single studies) showing relief of pain with acupuncture on diverse pain conditions such as menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, and fibromyalgia…

However, acupuncture does not demonstrate efficacy for cessation of smoking and may not be efficacious for some other conditions. In 1999, clinical researchers reported that inserting the fine needles into specific body points triggers the production of endorphins.

I have not personally tried acupuncture as a method of quitting, but I have heard it’s been effective in some cases, this may or may not have been a mind placebo. You might but running out of options though, and well you have nothing to lose but a little time and money.

So if you feel it might work for you, give it a shot!