British Program Aims to Use Acupuncture, Reiki to Help At-Risk Youth

The British Home Office is overseeing a £5 million program that treats children in deprived communities to acupuncture, reiki massage, and other therapeutic techniques in an effort to reduce the stress and, it is hoped, their potential to turn to drugs, alcohol, and crime.

The Positive Futures program reports that participating children say that they are feeling less tense about their immediate environment. They also report going to bed earlier and are participating in the program's late-night sports, such as soccer, fishing, or boxing, or other activities instead of breaking the law.

The program has been rolled out in cities across England.

Source: London Evening Standard, March 2007