“Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon MA unity.” — Tradition One
“Each group has but one primary purpose, to carry its message to the marijuana addict who still suffers.” — Tradition Five
It is every member’s responsibility to keep our meetings a safe space so marijuana addicts can gather to stay free of marijuana and help others do the same. Unfortunately, the same problems of society as a whole can make their way onto the phone lines and into connections between members outside of meetings. These may include disruptive behavior, bullying, harrassment, discrimination, stalking, pressuring members about their beliefs or other outside issues, and breaking members’ anonymity.
Excerpts from Tradition Twelve in “Life with Hope”:
“Discussing identities and the contents of stories outside the meeting rooms is gossip. By engaging in gossip we turn our focus away from the principles of the program and instead focus on the personalities involved.”
“When we allow discussion outside of the meetings about another member’s intimate secrets, trust will be lost because that story is being circulated throughout the community.”
“Putting principles before personalities means that we listen to God’s will for us and do what is right no matter who is involved. We practice the spiritual principles of honesty, humility, compassion, tolerance, and patience with everyone, whether we like them or not. Anonymity in action makes it impossible for personalities to come before principles because our spiritual foundation becomes more important than our individual egos.”
Those who experience another’s inappropriate behavior or violence can seek support from their sponsors, who may play an important role in helping members navigate relationships in and out of the recovery “rooms” in a sober way. MAWPM has also designated a Safety Support Team containing MA members with sobriety and experience in the program who can coordinate with other Trusted Servants to address safety concerns while honoring Tradition Two: “As trusted servants, these individuals make decisions on how to better serve MA, not on how to better govern it… We can best maintain MA’s integrity by letting a group conscience, guided by a loving God, prevail.”
Miriah 503-980-8739
Becca 831-239-3478
Morgan (male) 919-264-1466
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